Melody Mew Mew
by The.Asphyxiated.Affair
Summary: Nothing exciting ever happens in the subtle city of Tampa Bay. . .until an onslaught of alien attacks. With a psycho alien stalkers never ending romantic endeavors and backstabbing team mates, Saline has no clue how to save the city, much less the world.
1. On A Mission To Please

**Chapter One**

" Targets sighted!" Grin wide and eyes narrowed in mischief, a short ebony haired teen sat amidst prickling leaves and itchy grass behind blue binoculars; A couple was caught in the girls sight, unaware they were closely observed at a distance.

" Girl, just say ' I see them' like a normal person!" Scolded the second girl, who shifted uncomfortably in the bush they both currently resided in. A few butterfly's frantically flew away, startled by the rustling noise.

" Stop moving, they'll see us!" Crystal, the ebony haired girl, hushed her counterpart.

" Crystal! We are using this..." the second girl shoved the binoculars into Crystals face "... because they're far away, if we can't see them they can't see us!"

" You're such a rationist Marissa!" Crystal remarked, grabbing the binoculars from her chocolate skinned friend and turning to spy on the couple once more.

" That's not even a word!"

" It is now." She retorted earning an eye roll from Marissa. Turning back to the small hole in the bush, she replaced the binoculars on the bridge of her nose and continued to spy on the unsuspecting couple, who were now strolling closer. Crystal held her breath and grabbed Marissa's collar.

" They're getting up!" Crystal bobbed on her toes, losing the binoculars to Marissa.

" Is it just me or are they walking over to us?" Marissa squinted.

" That's ridiculous."

" Are you sure about that?"

" You're just being paranoid. . ." Crystal snatched back the equipment. " See they're not. . .HOLY ENCHALADAS THEY'RE COMING THIS WAY!"

Throwing herself spontaneously to the left, Crystal shot into Marissa, who in turn yelped in pain and twisted into an odd position. Kicking her feet on the dirt, she stumbled a few times before barely rising off the ground. In an instant her body jutted foreword, practically taking off if it weren't for a panicked hand yanking her backwords.

" My pant leg is stuck!" Marissa squeeled. " Help me!"

" Okay, on three!" Crystal whispered, fumbling a few times from anxiety before finally managing to grab Marissa's hands.

" One..."

" Two..."

" THREE!"

With a loud rip, both girls flew out of the bush and landed a good five feet away. Marissa hit the ground first as out came Crystal, crashing on top of her.

" Ow. . ."

" Why are you moaning? _You _landed on _me_!" Marissa pushed her off with one hand and massaged her rump with the other. " Do you know how much you weigh?"

" Hey, you guys. Fancy meeting you two here."

Both girls, frozen in place on the ground, slowly forced their heads to turn up. A pair of brown eyes, tinted with red, glared down at them. The bouncy brown curls, girly attire and petite form weren't threatening when it came down to everything, but the girls face. . .it seemed as if the depths of hell had decided to take a lovely rest in the form of a facial feature.

" Yeah, we were just in the neighborhood and decided to drop by!" Crystal smiled in a frightened manner.

" Yeah and we weren't in this specific neighbor hood just to spy on your date and use that as a cover up story! No way! Hahahahahah. . ." Marissa joined in with an awkward laugh.

" I can't believe you two. . ." The wrath on the coiled haired girls face became scorching. She advanced on Crystal who bore a cowering Marissa behind her.

" Hey now, hey now!" Crystal waved her hands in defense. " You wouldn't hit a girl with glasses!"

" You're not wearing any glasses!"

" I could put some on if you'd like?"

" Don't try to-"

The sky seemed to crack in half, interrupting Saline's threat. The sudden roar of thunder had startled them all, as well as the other people in the park. Everyone glanced up to see clouds of grey sweep in to block the sun in a hazy eclipse. The clouds flashed with static and carried multicolored hues, emitting another crackle of thunder. Out of nowhere a long strip of lightning struck down on the ground, shaking the plain and swaying the trees. Both crystal and Marissa wailed in high pitched voices and Saline tightly clung to Dustin who stared at the sky with narrowed eyes.

" We better head home." Dustin, who had stood silently, advised. " A storms rolling in."

As if it was queued, the ground began trembling once more. Dustin protectively pulled Saline into an embrace; Crystal came to collision with a pole and landed on Marissa once more

Saline pulled away from Dustin's embrace and held her head. Dustin took hold of her shoulders as she began to waver.

" I don't feel so good." She mumbled in a soft voice and fell unconscious. Marissa's body also gave up on her and Crystal struggled to keep awake but failed. Dustin panicked and fell flat on his back.

It had been a half an hour since the storm had vanished and the sun had resumed its place in the sky. Dustin groaned slightly and got up, wiping furiously at his long lashes to rub away the water droplets, then stared at the three girl sprawled before him.

" They aren't awake?" He asked no one in particular and shook his dirty blond hair. Panic struck him and completely losing his regular, calm and collected façade, he immediately jumped to his feet and desperately began to wake them. The first to rise was Marissa, who rubbed her head in pain and then kicked Crystal, waking her next. Saline rose shortly after, and stretched in place. After rising and checking to see that no one had injured themselves, they began to walk to the main entrance of the park.

" Um, hey." Dustin turned Saline around. " My ride's here."

" Oh then, I'll see you tomorrow?" Saline asked, a red tint scribbled across her cheeks. He shuffled closer.

" See you tomorrow." He gave a smile, half closing his eyes. Saline's heart leapt and she dodged his approaching lips.

" Yeah, I-I'll call you!" Saline said hopefully. " Um . . .later or whatever."

Her tongue slurred, as it seemed to do time to time,

" Yeah, sure." Dustin smiled at her one last time, seemingly disappointed, and turned to the direction of his house.

" So, since you guys went out of your way to stalk me." Saline sighed. " Wanna go see a movie?"

" Sounds good to me!" Crystal grinned. " But can we stop by your house, I need to get the stuff I left, including my wallet."

Nodding, Saline led the way to her home, only 20 minutes away from the park. Walking through the front door and slipping her shoes off, she motioned Marissa and Crystal to stop.

" I'll get the stuff, you guys can wait down here." Turning she ran upstairs. Turning right into her hallway, she found her bedroom door already open. She cursed her little sister, who had surely been the one to enter, and dove into her closet, digging out Crystals things and her own. Oblivious to the smirking figure floating outside her window, she continued searching, zoning out momentarily to figure out where she'd put Crystals jacket. The figure grinned and put one hand to the glass. In one movement it shattered, busting into tiny sparkling pieces.

" Oh my God." Saline backed up to the nearest corner, her breath hitched inside her throat. A boy, about her age, with large, elfish ears levitated atop the broken shards. His complexion was pale, his dark green almost black hair tied into two low pig tails and he wore baggy, almost tribal cloths. He glanced around her room with amber eyes and then fixed his gaze on her.

" Don't get any closer! I-I kn-know . . .KARATE!" She lied and got into a fighting stance.

" Well," The strange boy began. " You're a cute one."

Her face flushed.

He reminded her of those fabulous creatures she would always read about. He was almost like the elves from the Eragon books (which she had read about three times). This amazed her, and yet at the same time scared her to bits. Her knees bucked and she shivered under his stare. The strange elf saw this and vanished. Soon Saline felt breathing on her neck and turning, the, what she presumed was, elf caught her lips with his. She stood there, eyes wide with her lips connected with his for a while before pulling away.

" Don't touch me you freak!" She screamed. " Are you criminally insane?"

" Feisty aren't we?" He chuckled and let her go.

" You can't break someone's window and then kiss them!"

" Really? Because I think we've just done exactly that."

" Get Out!" She screamed, face flaming.

" Saline! Stop screaming!" She heard her father from downstairs, and then a mumble. " My poor insane child. . ."

" Sorry honey, looks like my partners messed up the chimera locations." The alien pursed his lips. " We'll have to do this another time!"

" What?" Saline stood baffled. " Wait, you can't just-"

And with that he vanished and she stood, confused and uncertain of what to say to her parents about the broken window.

" Aw, damn." She groaned, grabbing Crystals things and dashing down stairs.

" What was with all that screa-"

" Nothing, nothing." Saline hushed her friends, shoving Crystals things into her arms. " Let's just go."

" Are you okay?"

" Yes, just dandy." She seethed. " Some freak broke my window and kissed me but it's fine."

" Someone broke into your house? No wonder you were screaming!" Crystal pulled Saline to a halt

" We have to tell your parents! What if the freaks still in the house?"

" He's not, he left." Saline seethed, continuing to walk. " Let's just go to the movie's, he's gone now so there's nothing much to do."

" But, a random guy just broke into your house. . .and kissed you."

" Yes, we've established that Marissa."

" So shouldn't you be freaked out or something, you big ol' nutcase." She rubbed Saline's head, tussling her curls.

' _Truth is I don't know what happened in there.' _She thought. _' And what am I suppose to say, an elf broke into my house?'_

Masking her unease, and mentally questioning everything she had ever believed, she continued to walk, choosing to at least ignore what happened; she had to be crazy, after all, elf's weren't real. She was probably having a mental breakdown, after all a few panic attacks had come over her the last few days, so there really was no need in freaking everyone out. And if the day couldn't get any stranger, some blonde guy ran into her in her train of thought.

" Oh, I'm sorry." She apologized, jumping up quickly. He shoved a box into her arms. " Um. . .what are you do-"

" You're Saline Maner? Yes? Good, keep it." And he stalked off the opposite direction.

A moment of silence passed over the three girls.

" You gonna open it?"

" Pft. Yeah." The paper came flying off, revealing identical pendants, all varying in color and symbols. Examining the pink one in the air, Saline put it back in the box. " Do you guys think it's weird he gave these to us? It looks like real gold."

" It's called generosity Saline." Crystal patted the coiled haired girls back. " It's the basis of which life stands on."

" You completely made that up, didn't you?"

" Yes, now give one of the pendants to me."

Saline looked down, unsure.

" What if it explode's or something?"

" Or something." Marissa scoffed, grabbing the purple one and making way for a cackling Crystal to grab the blue.

" If you guys blow up or whatever, don't blame me."

" We wont, now stop yapping and pay for a ticket, the guys waiting on you." Crystal grabbed her own pair of tickets.

" You do know, the movies going to be over in 30 minutes?" Saline, grabbing her tickets, ran to catch up with Crystal and Marissa, who were now passed the lobby and in front of the entrance of the theatre.

" Losers can't be choosers." Crystal retorted, taking a seat in the designated theatre. With only 30 minutes left of the film, only the death of the antagonist was the main highlight. And, of course, Saline cried for the antagonist with bulging eyes and slight tears,

" You and your fetish for the antagonists." Crystal shook her head. " Hey. . .I don't think that's part of the movie. . ."

" THE EXITS ARE SEALED OFF!" Some man screamed, sending the theatre into panic.

" It's the guy that broke into my room!" Saline cried, wagging her finger.

Crystal guffawed, which Saline couldn't understand. . .even if the guy did have elf ears.

"I'm back cutie! Did you miss me?" The elf licked his lips.

" Ew, get away you nasty piece of stank." Crystal backed away, a sour expression etching her face. Kisshu's face blanked and a tired sigh left his lips, shaking off his bleak disposition, he grinned and flew high into the air. As if ready to strike, the three pendants flew into each girls hand and burned in a blinding light.

" Mew Mew Brownie Metamorpho-sis!" Saline cried, as her cloths melted off into a raspberry pink, ruffled dress adorned with roses and gold lace. She felt her hair uncurl into pink waves and decrease in length. In the flurry of warmth, Crystals cry came next. Her outfit also fused into a short blue dress with long, trailing sleeves with silver lace lining. Her hair wrapped into dark blue buns with long strands hanging down.

" Mew Mew Blueberry Metamorpho-sis!"

" Mew Mew fig Metamorpho-sis!" Marissa 's body lit in violet, as shorts wrapped around to her mid thighs and a strapless top formed. Long gloves and puffy boots also appeared along with long ribbons hanging down her waist.

A chimera immediately shot at them, screeching loudly as it soared into the chairs.

" Brownie Bell Star!" Saline yelled while grabbing the shiny object that appeared in front of her. A white microphone was in the shape of a comb with pink stripes circling the sides materialized out of no where. On the handle was a star shaped bell atop a pink bow with multicolored boxes trailing up the sides. In her other hand was a small chip which she swiped in to the microphone.

" Blueberry flute!" Crystal shouted as a blue metallic flute appeared in her hands. On either side were small bows.

" Fig Violin!" Marissa shouted as a violet violin appeared in her arms.

" Mew Mew Melody! It's show time!" Saline yelled. Crystal blew into her flute which created a multitude of sounds to accompany Marissa's violin. Saline parted her mouth and took a gulp of air. Above the music and the chimera's shrieks, Saline's mezzo soprano voice rung out clear and clean, harmonizing with Crystal and Marissa's instruments.

The Chimera let out a screech and began to rip itself to pieces. Kisshu barely noticed; he stared abysmally at the pink mew with the cat ears and tails, listening to her voice. A wave of shining material flew out of Saline's microphone, as she momentarily parted with it to extend it towards the chimera, and abolished the creature.

" What was that?" Crystal screamed, gawking at her blue bird wings.

" I don't know, but let's get out of here." Saline whispered, weary of the people taking pictures with their cell phones.

" Ditto." Marissa pulled them down, behind the chairs. The outfits and animal appendages disappeared. " What the-!"

" Shhh!" Saline clasped a hand around the others mouth. " Let's just sneak away, it's dark, no one will notice. "

" Sounds good to me!" Crystal earnestly whispered back, leading the other two out of the theatre.

**Title of chapter inspired by Breathe Electrics song Let Go.**


	2. Be The Charming Type

**Chapter Two**

" Saline! Watch out!"

A white ball sprinted through the air, perfectly making contact with the face of an unconscious brunette. Saline snapped her eyes open wide at the contact and spun around in surprise.

" What, huh?" She dizzily asked looking around frantically as a black curly haired girl jogged over with a panicked expression

" Are you okay? I though you were paying attention, I'm sorry!" She apologized.

" It did?" She rubbed her bruising forehead. " Ouch. . .you're right; it did."

" You've been so out of it lately." The darker girl mused. " Anything going on?"

" Nothing Jelly, just tired." Saline gave a lazy smile and turned back to the game. Angelica nodded hesitantly and went back to her position; lifting the ball up she served it.

" Took you long enough!" Crystal sneered, tapping her foot impatiently, and earned a piercing glare from Angelica. " And you missy!"

Saline looked up at Crystals accusing finger, which retracted instantly to hit the ball over to the girl on her left.

" Get some more sleep at night!" Crystal ordered.

Saline nodded, but it was a false promise. Sleep at night was out of the question, her lips were tingling and the green haired alien popped up occasionally in her dreams. She replayed the time when her kissed her over and over in her mind and each time it made her feel queasy inside. Rolling and tossing didn't help her get to sleep either. She just felt so insecure about the entire situation. Sure she'd gone out with a couple guys before ( generally the rumors around school declared other wise) but never had she had someone mess with her as much as the alien did. The game was given a time out, as everyone walked over to the bleachers for water. Saline was snapped out of her thoughts by Marissa's snickering.

" Thinking about. . . _You know who_?"

" Oh yes, the _one who must not be named._" Saline joked, drawing blank stares from Marissa as well as Angelica.

" You know. . ." Saline started. " Harry Potter?"

The other two exchanged glances.

" We're not allowed to watch that." Angelica sighed.

" Seriously?" Saline raised an eyebrow.

" You know our moms." Marissa scoffed. " They don't want us watching 'things like that'."

Saline merely nodded in response.

" So. . .who're we talking about?" Angelica's eyes brightened in curiosity.

" None of _your _business." Crystal swiftly sat next to Angelica, blocking her from the other two.

" I didn't ask you." Angelica snarled, leaning out to look at Saline and Marissa. " So? Who is it?"

" It has nothing to do with you!" Crystal barked, silencing Saline's answer. " Do you have to be so nosy?"

" I'm not being nosy!" Angelica's face scrunched up. " You're so annoying you know that? I wasn't speaking with you so why don't you mind your own business?"

Crystal rolled her eyes.

" Oh no, do _not_ roll your eyes at me!" Angelica stood up abruptly. " You're so disrespectful and not to mention a whiner."

" I'm disrespectful?" Crystal also stood, water bottle clenched in her fist. Saline and Marissa exchanged glances.

" Did I stutter?" Angelica snarled. Saline quickly tried to disperse the tension but Angelica snapped at her as well.

" Don't tell her to stay out of this!" Crystal snapped back. " You conceited brat face!"

" Oh, brat face? Nice one." Angelica sneered. " Here's another, mutt face."

" Why don't you just quit it, tubby?" Crystal countered and in an instant was drenched in Angelica's water. Eyes wide in shock, she quickly turned her heel and stomped out of the gym.

" I'll go get her." Saline stood. " Stay here."

" But Saline-"

" Angelica, I said. Stay. Here." Saline's face glowered. Angelica's face fell in dejection, as she crossed her arms and turned to Marissa. Saline walked out of the gym and gazed around, not seeing any sign of Crystal. Sighing, she turned left, walking in the direction of the cafeteria.

" Crystal where are you?" She pondered, glancing left and right.

" Well you certainly won't find her talking to your self." A voice mused by her ear, startling the brunette. She spun around to be grasped in two strong eyes.

" Kisshu?"

" I see you remember me." His smirk widened. " My kiss probably helped."

" Get away from me!" She squirmed as he merely chuckled at her attempts to get free. Her eyes glared up at him though he smiled down at her carelessly. Finally pulling her hand free she slapped him.

" And don't you dare mention that!" She screeched. " That was a horrible kiss! The worst in my life!"

_The only in my life_. She thought but the details didn't matter at the moment.

" Well then." He turned his face back to her, expression softening slightly. He pulled her closer this time. " Why don't we try it again?"

All she could do was blink when he leaned into her lips. She didn't want to give into him, nor lean in but a certain feeling straining her chest did. Her stiffened body went free, as his arms wrapped tighter around her waist. His lips were soft against hers almost feathery, and soon gone. Her eyes opened slowly to see the hall in front of her. She blinked a few times before realizing that he had teleported away.

" Damn you Kisshu!" She threw a fit, face blooming scarlet.

" _Saline_! How dare you use that kind of language?" An all too familiar voice scolded. Saline turned to face Crystals exasperated expression and immediately latched onto her.

" Crystal!" She squealed.

" Who, calm down you psycho!" Her face fell dull as Saline's face glimmered with cheer. " He kissed you again?"

" Huh?" Saline's smile remained but her eyes flashed in confusion.

" Kisshu kissed you?" Crystal dead panned.

" What makes you say that?"

" You're so disgustingly happy, the last time I saw you look like that was when he kissed you."

" Nonsense." Saline denied.

" OH! Kisshu! I just love your kisses they make me all weak inside!" Crystal batted her eyelashes whilst raising her voice to a higher octave.

" I DID NOT! AND I WILL NOT!" She screamed bouncing up and down glaring at crystal. All Crystal did was tease her more by giving out a girly giggling.

" SHUT UP! and I do not giggle that way!" Saline pouted crossing her arms over her chest while avoiding Crystals stare.

" I'm just joking it's not like you like him right?" Crystal said laughing, then stopped at the odd silence." Right Saline?"

Saline continued blushing.

" You mean you-" The black haired girl started as Saline looked away. " So you actually-"

Saline just kept her head down.

" Oh My God!" Crystal exploded as Saline started spa zing out ." What about Dustine!"

" NO! NO!" Saline waved her arms frantically. " I do NOT like him! Dustine's the one I like!"

" You're fraternizing with the enemy!" Crystals jaw dropped. " An _ugly _enemy!"

" He's not ugly." Saline whispered to have Crystal gawk at her again. " And I was _kidding_!"

" Please." Crytal rolled her eyes. " You drool over every cute guy you see."

" You said cute guy."

" So?"

Saline giggled and scooted closer to Crystal.

" So you think he's cute?"

" Wait . . .What? Ugh, I hate you for use my insults against me!" Crystal stated pulling her arms over her chest.

Saline merely laughed.

" Hey, Saline." Crystal stopped walking. " Remember that dream I told you about?"

" You mean the one where Marissa turned evil and had an ugly boyfriend who wanted to rule the world with her and every time I appeared Sparkly stuff surrounded me and-"

" NO, the other one."

" Oh you mean the one where you had a go with-"

" _No_! _No_!"

" Oh you mean that dream you had about the first day of school?" Saline cocked her head, remembering the Crystals dream of Saline herself becoming snobby and popular, leaving everyone else in the dust.

" Yeah."

" That was hilarious and you thought it would actually come true!"

" Hey don't blame me! After the eighth time it became pretty convincing!"

" Heh, yeah what about it?"

" Nothing." Crystal frowned. " Just thought of it."

" Random." Saline laughed. Crystal nodded in agreement.

" You guys!" Saline and Crystal looked up to see Marissa and Angelica running towards them from the entrance of the gym. They stopped in a huff and Marissa immediately pushed Angelica in front of her. " Anelica has something to say!"

" I do?"

" Yes." The dark girl narrowed her eyes. " You were going to apologize!"

" _No_. I said I would get along with her!" Angelica huffed. " I said nothing of an apology."

" You nasty little-!" Crystal growled, inching dangerously foreword. Angelica didn't flinch.

" What are you going to do about it?" Angelica spat, until both girls fell backwards onto there butts. Mouths gaping, their eyes were plastered on a gigantic flame which slowly died away on where the two were standing.

" Crystal?" Angelica's voice shook.

" Yes?" A squeak responded.

" What _did_ you do about it?"

" Watch out it's another monster!" Saline swiped out her pendant from her pocket and kissed it as a gangly green, oversized lizard spat another fire ball.

" MEW MEW BROWNIE METAMORPHO-SIS!" Her mew mew uniform melted onto her body as she kicked the fire ball back to the monster who generously swallowed it back up. A red substance shot out of its nose like a running faucet, incinerating the grass it touched. Marissa, fully transformed, jumped back words and out of the way of the goo.

" Ha! Missed me!" Marissa exclaimed as Saline pointed to her butt.

" Um, not quite."

" AH!" She dropped onto the grass, thrashing about.

Crystal extended her hand into the air, blue light indulging her body as she transformed.

" Crystal! Aerial attack!" Saline commanded as Crystal gave a curt nod. Sprinting to the left, Saline stopped short as two alabaster arms held her back. Soon the ground was farther away and her teammates shrunk.

" I heard that the people of this planet believe cats always land on their feet." Kisshu mused. " Tell me, is this true?"

" Let go of me." Saline trembled, subconsciously kicking her feet in mid air.

" Why should I?" Kisshu chuckled but he immediately let go as she bit him hard.

" Kitten!" Kisshu screamed, horror gripping his face as he watched Saline slip away from him. Crystal caught Saline mid air but they both tumbled onto the ground from the combined weight.

" Are you alright?" Crystal examined Saline with a worried gaze.

" My arm. . . it hurts." Saline replied, eyes tearing. " Go! Fight him! Don't worry about me!"

" But-"

" Just go!" Saline screamed, clutching her arm tightly against her chest.

Crystal nodded and flew off.

" You shouldn't have done that!" Kisshu huffed angrily, landing beside her. " You hurt your arm."

" So?" Saline asked as she used her working hand to lift her upper body of the grass and into a crouched position.

" So? What's the point of a toy if it's broken?" He smirked.

" Leave her alone!" Angelica shrieked, jumping in front of the hurt mew.

" And who are you exactly?" Kisshu's voice dropped flat. His eyes narrowed as he placed an arm on his hip. Before Angelica could answer, a pink fuzzy ball hit Kisshu in the back of the head. Reeling back, the floating creature spat up a pendant which Angelica eagerly caught.

" Oh great. Another mini skirt wearing freak." Kisshu complained rubbing his head with one hand and grabbing Masha with the other. The flying fur ball screeched in annoyance, as the alien shook him. Saline caught Kisshu off guard, kicking so that he fell to the ground and dropped the little robot.

" Thank you Saline! Thank you Saline!" It chirped happily, cuddly into the pink mew. Saline nodded and turned to Angelica.

" The words will come to you." The pink mew advised as Angelica nervously nodded.

" MEW MEW SKITTLES METAMORPHO-SIS!" Angelica shouted. Wolf ears and a tail popped out from under her newly formed periwinkle colored uniform. Her arms were enveloped in short gloves and boots; puffy shorts and her halter top matching the light purple. Angelica blinked, lilac eyes shining and fingers running through her periwinkle pin straight hair.

" Cute." Saline remarked with a smile before calling out her weapon. " Brownie bell star!"

" Blueberry Flute!"

" Fig violin!"

" Skittles Harp!"

" Mew Mew Melody! It's show time!"

Marissa started off, violin slow in tempo. Pressing down string after string in beats of three, Angelica accompanied her with two plucks of her guitar at every interval. Marissa soon played all the strings at once with out no rest and Crystal blew restlessly into her flute. Saline started once more, voice rising from a soft hum to a deep and grieving lyrical melody. The song carried a low tone, contradicting the techno beat the last song played.

The chimera shook uncontrollably, skin deteriorating. Kisshu glared at Saline, fighting the urge to sink deep within the rhythm of the music.

" Get up! Now!" He yelled at the monster, steaming.

A spark materialized in Saline's palm and she shot at the monster. Blasting into it, the monster let out a throaty gurgle and combusted. After it disintegrated, Saline felt her outfit fade off as well as the others. Kisshu swooped down, floating a few meters above the girls. He winked at Saline before dissipating.

" Aw! He's so cute!" Angelica giggled.

" Sorry, he's Saline's boyfriend." Marissa glanced at Saline who was blushing insanely.

" He is not! I don't like him! I like Dustin!" She pouted, turning away from the others to stomp toward the gym. All she wanted was to change and then get home.

" Hey, Crystal!" Angelica patted the blue mew on the shoulder. " I'm uh. . .I'm sorry."

" I'm sorry too." Crystal replied awkwardly, but returned the others smile.

**A/NThe only reason this came out today was because Imaginations Creation so thank you! This chapter is also dedicated to KisshuFanGirl.**

**Title inspired by The Blue Van song There Goes My Love :)**


	3. Plug Me In

**Chapter 3**

"What have we got on each mew mew?" Ryou continued to stare at the blinking screen in front of him, barely acknowledging the brunet.

" I've gathered some data but we'll need more."

" Whose the one infused with the Iberian Lynx?"

" The leader?"

The blonde nodded his head idly.

" Her name is Saline Akdag." Keiichirou started." Thirteen years old, her essence level is 3.9."

" And the one infused with the Romped Tanager?"

" Crystal Gonzales, thirteen years old and her essence level is 2.4"

The blonde nodded, signaling the other to read the rest of the data.

" Marissa Jennings, she is fourteen years old, her essence level is a 2 but it may be inaccurate due to the fact she hasn't really fought yet. She is Fused with the Tecopa Pupfish." The brunet flipped the page. " And the newest addition; Angelica Burford. Infused with the Red Wolf. She's fourteen and her essence level is 3.8 "

" Is that all?"

" Until further notice, yes."

" and about those Data readings?"

" They're too weak, I can't track them unless they transform." The brunet gave an apologetic smile. " Ryou, Don't you think we should meet them now? At least fill them in on the details?"

" Not now but soon."

**XXX**

" Now you said you're name was Masha right?" Saline asked the floating robot.

" I'm Masha! Masha! Masha!"

" How adorable!" She squealed and petted the adorable pink oodles of fur on the middle of what she supposed was his head. Saline's ears perked up when her dad called out her name. Rushing out the door, she ran down stairs and into the kitchen where he dad was sitting with his laptop.

" Yes?"

" Are you talking to your self again because you really need to-"

" No, I am _not_ talking to myself!"

" Are you sure?"

" Yeeeessssss!"

" Then what was that noise?"

" My t.v."

" Sure."

Giving her a look of disbelief he turned back to his laptop. Groaning, she ran back up stairs and closed her door quickly upon entering her bedroom. Bouncing onto her bed she began petting Masha's head idly. A breeze hit her as she lye on her bed, and instantly she looked up at her open window. Eyebrows furrowed in suspicion, she slowly walked over to shut the window and quickly closed the white blinds. Eye's drooping, she disregarded the window insident, and pulled out a long T-shirt with a pair of shorts. Scurrying under the covers, she quickly changed as Masha switched off her lights.

" Thank you Masha!" She chirped, having the robot cuddle next to her. A loud clatter snapped her eyes back open and pulled her back from sleep. Immediately she glanced towards the window and her breath stopped short in her lungs. Her eyes now struck with panic, she squinted to see through the wall of ebony surrounding her. The window was open.

'But I closed it!' She thought, cautiously rising out of her bed to nervously edge towards the open window. After calming herself down she extended her arm towards the handle and a falling sensation hit her. Opening her eyes she saw herself come closer to the bushes below and then everything stopped with two arms holding her. The blood rushed to her face as she looked up to a familiar smirk.

" We never found out before. Do cat's land on their feet?" Saline stared at him before nodding slowly. He flew higher until the cars looked like miniature toys. Oh Crap. That's a long way down. She held on to him tightly and buried her face in his chest.

" What's wrong?" Came a mocking reply to her fearful antics.

" Let me go!" She rashly commanded.

" Gladly." He let her go and she started falling, until black was the only color she saw.

**XXX**

Tossing and turning, Marissa sat up in bed. A feeling of malevolence flushed down her face. Bringing a hand up to her head she felt a mix of emotions which sent her nerves into a frenzy of worry. Pain, fear, perplexity, dread, agonize, inadvertent ness, what frightened her the most was not that these emotions came out of the blue, no. What frightened her was she definitely knew that none of these belonged to her because they surged out of her mew mark. Not that she was an expert already, it had only been a week that she gained her new powers and became a 'mew mew'. What she did know was, the others were in trouble or at least one of them. If they were all in trouble surely the emotions would be greater for now it felt as if ir were coming from miles away.

' But who could it be?' Anxiously she thought pacing around in her room. It had to be some one who could be targeted easily, someone who would be worth taking the trouble to capture... or harm. There would be no time to run around the streets to everybody's house, she had to figure out someone...fast.

' Who would Kisshu harm?' She thought back to their previous experiences with him.

' Crystal?' She thought. Well little old Crystal had insulted him... a lot. Then it hit her...

" Saline!' She ran towards her window, lashing out her pendant to transform. What she didn't know was that she wasn't the only one who could feel this.

**XXX**

' Damn it!' Kisshu cursed mentally, holding the limp girl closely. Adjusting his arms, he cradled her tightly. She still didn't move and he panicked. He was only teasing her, he wasn't going to let her fall. Once letting go he was going to grab her arm and pull her back up only to mock her even more. That didn't happen though. He let go and she fell too fast; he couldn't catch her. Cursing under his breath, light surrounded him and in a few moments his body came in contact with a bush.

" What did you do to her!" Marissa called out. Kisshu lay sprawled on the grass, disgruntled and slowly rising.

" What the heck is wrong with you? You psychotic bastard!" Angelica fumed.

Crystal ran over to Saline. Picking her head up she laid it on her lap. After taking a while to glare at Kisshu, Crystal brushed a hand on Saline's forehead. Unfortunately, she was heating up and acquired bruises and a twisted wrist. Crystal gazed at the flattened bushes, leaves scattered around it and came to the conclusion that the bushes had broken her fall. Gently she moved Saline's head back onto the ground and stood up firmly.

" You two take care of Kisshu I'll take care of Saline!" The other two nodded as crystal turned her attention back to the unconscious girl.

" Marissa go from behind!" Angelica ordered. "I'll distract him. Hit him with only a bit of your power. Then with all your strength try to hit me!"

" What? Why would I want to-"

" Just trust me!" Angelica dashed off before Marissa could utter another word.

Angelica ran in front of Kisshu, relieved Marissa had followed her instruction after she saw her leap into a tree. Putting her left foot before her she curled her hands in to fists, stiffening her arms at her side. She stared at Kisshu with cold, indifferent eyes and in return the alien wore his own mask of rage, topping Angelica's own along with a bit of annoyance.

" If she's dead I swear-"

" Swear what? You don't have the strength to challenge me, much less the will."

"I swear..."

" Go on, amuse me." Kisshu spat out his words, as though they were vile, bitter and toxic.

" ... I'll kill you." Angelica's eyes narrowed. Kisshu's taunting laugh broke out into the silent streets. He smiled, though his face made it obvious that he was ticked. He pointed at her with a long, pale finger.

" You... will kill me?" Kisshu chuckled more and stopped, his face changed into a streak of determination." I just wanted a little fun."

" Stop screwing around!" Angelica shrieked, her voice suddenly high.

" I couldn't catch her, she fell too fast!"

" You're sick!" Angelica charged at him, her rage getting the best of her. Raising a fist over her head, Angelica leaped towards Kisshu. Angelica's pupils swelled.

" STOP!" Crystal shrieked.

Angelica lowered her fist instantly, flying past Kisshu and landing on her knee's behind him.

" I never wanted this!" Angelica's voice cracked, roughly she screamed out with every heap of her breath. Kisshu stared coldly down at her.

Angelica's sobs grew less persistent until she forced them out. Through blurred vision she saw boot covered feet before her, she looked up to see Crystal.

" Crys-"

The sound of a crack echoed; Marissa flinched as Kisshu stood his ground. Angelica brought a hand up to her red swollen cheek, face confused and startled. The rest of the blue mews name still in the back of her throat.

" Don't be selfish. You didn't want this? Who said we did? Marissa got burnt, Saline almost died! Me? I'm like you, nothings happened, am I complaining? Get a grip or leave us alone because we or at least I can make do with out a sniveling, arrogant baby who has anger management issues. I don't want an annoyance tagging along to where she's not needed. We can make due with out you slowing us down. Get up, wipe that stupid look off your face and do things right!" Crystal's face soured. Angelica for one couldn't register Crystals actions until she was back at Saline's side with Kisshu next to them.

Kisshu took the opportunity of the periwinkle mews dramatic scene to check on Saline. He flew swiftly towards her and kneeled down to take look. Her face was pale, but sputtered in red at her cheeks and forehead. Her breaths were quick and short and sweat rolled down her face. He caressed her cheek and gasped at how hot it was. She lifted her arms to hold his hand, unconsciously pushing it on her cheek. He turned around to face Crystal.

" Just leave." Crystal said, her voice barely above a whisper and with that Kisshu disappeared. Crystal turned to face Marissa and Angelica, who was hiding her face with her black curly hair.

" I'll take care of Saline, you two go home." Crystal turned to face Saline but spun around to grip Marissa's shoulder.

" Hey Marissa could you bring me some cloths? I think Saline wont wake up soon and I'll need to get ready for school." Marissa nodded and Crystal spoke a quite ' thank you'.

Crystal walked towards the wall and glanced back at Saline. She let out a sigh and crouched down, glaring at the window.

" Here goes nothing!" Crystal growled, springing up into the air. The wind rushed by her as she struggled to keep her balance.

" WOOOOHW!" After several failed attempts she crashed into the room, landing harshly on the floor. Rubbing her nose, which broke her fall, she grabbed a pillow, three blankets, and an empty glass cup. Gathering the material Crystal locked the bedroom door and went over to the closet. Grabbing saline's hair towel she gripped everything near her chest and leaped out the window, almost letting out a terrified screech. Her wings stopped her from breaking her neck by flapping a few feet from the ground. After a couple of minutes Crystal managed to get down and went to work right away. She placed the towel on Saline's back and laid her on the open blanket and pillow. After doing everything she thought to help she waited patiently next to Saline, eventually falling asleep.

**XXX**

Crystal woke up to ' Sexy back' and furiously glanced around her. She found Marissa's phone along with a plastic bag some few inches next to her. Turning off the alarm she glanced at the time; 7:10, two hours and five minutes before school started. She opened the bag and took out some cloths; a dark denim skirt and a white shirt with a rainbow on it. Looking around she went into the bushes and changed, after that was done she brushed her hair and put it up into a pony tail. She crouched by Saline and shook her.

" Hey Saline, woohoo wake up! Come on, upsy dubsy's! It's morning sleeping beauty."

" Wha-" Saline's voice was scratched and hoarse.

" Ok, you see, Kisshu attacked you, you fell from the window, got a fever and I took care of ya!" Crystal concluded. " You have to get up now."

" But I'm so dizzy..."

" And I was an Ant buffet last night, now get on my back!" Saline quizzically stared at her but stumbled onto Crystals back. Crystal kept hesitating but finally shot up. They zig zagged and spun, going up and down. Saline groaned.

" Crystal!"

" What?"

" I think my dinner from last night might pop in..."

" CRAP! Don't you dare puke on me!"

" Please don't say that word!" Saline groaned, her fear of regurgitating popping up. After a dozen unsuccessful attempts, they crashed into Saline's room in the same manner Crystal had before. Soon Saline was in bed and Crystal at her side with hands on her hips.

" Okay's, Gots-ta go hope you feel better!" Crystal chirped; Saline mumbled in response. Pulling the sheets over her head she fell into a unconscious state. Unbenownst to her, mischief was sprung on the other side of town. Kisshu, ignoring the civillians screams, sat down and gazed at his creation prowling the streets. He couldn't believe how hot this part of earth was; every man made object under the sun burned his skin. The only other thing which proved to be more of a mystery was, as hot as Florida was, everything was green! The grass was the color of limes, and the tree's were dark, full and, of course, green. Flowers with variety of colors grew in front of house's and apartment's. The moss was green, the waters in the swamps were green, the alligators were a green color. How could all of these plants grow under the humongous ball of fire trying to burn everything out in the open. Hell, he even saw a man with green hair the other day! A flash of periwinkle rattled his thoughts. He began to here the mew strike his street cat monster. Walking over to the edge of the roof he saw that she had collapsed. Kisshu jumped in for the kill.

" You're alone?" He heard no reply and his smirk grew devious when he found that her fists were clenched. " Oh, I see. They wanted to get rid of you. They probably didn't want an annoyance tagging along, don't worry though, I'll put an end to your suffering."

Angelica shuddered at how darkly he spoke; it seemed as though the usual teasing personality just shrouded the cold, stone mask waiting to let out a more malice, baleful face. He kicked her into a wall when she attempted to stand and cackled. She cringed when the sound made it to her ears, reminding her of a beautiful instrument being played horribly wrong.

Though maybe he was right. She knew the others had sensed the Chimera Anima. Why hadn't they come by now? She heard his foot steps nearing, and another blow tossed her to the other side of the street. Her head hit the window, arms and legs bruised with her knee's bleeding. Her body tingled in pain and numerous tears trickled down her face, though her throat was too dry to cry. She hiccupped and waited for another blow which he gladly sent her.

Now she had collided with a pole, flipping onto the ground. Angelica closed her eyes and prayed. This was the end of her. Her limbs couldn't move.

They all faked it; being her friends; caring about her. They talked the minute after she walked away to her next class, snickering at her blindness to their actions. It circulated around back to her, how annoying she was, how loud she was, how insincere she was, how snobby she was! They were all just jealous! Jealous of her popularity, Jealous of her out going personality, her talent, her keen sense of fashion, her good grades! Jealous! All of them! Saline, Marissa, Crystal. Especially Crystal! The one who had opened her eyes harshly to the envy suffocating her.

_"Get a grip or leave us alone!"_

Her eyes squeezed shut, the voice seemed to project from above her as if Crystal herself was there saying it.

_"I can make do with out a sniveling, arrogant baby."_

Now her jaw was clasped tight, as her eyes remained compressed shut. She wanted the voice to shut-up, she wanted it to stop!

" Now die." Kisshu's voice came dangerously close. She wished she could see all three of their faces at her funeral. Knowing her death was their fault, that a human being like themselves had been stripped from her life and at the same time two parents were stripped of their beloved daughter. She saw Crystal's smug face.

_"Like I said we can make do with outa sniveling, arrogant baby tagging along to where she's not needed!"_

It was never jealousy. What Crystal said was the truth, as blunt and painful as it was. Her eyes were always shut tight; everyone around her said what she wanted them to say, did what she wanted them to do but all this time her mind was just playing tricks on her. Blocking out reality, she deluded herself out of reality and into a fantasy she had created for herself. She promised herself and everybody else. Now she would think before she spoke, think before she would act, show sympathy and most of all apologize. Apologize and thank Crystal for opening her eyes, though she felt sore from it. She would, that is, if she had any strength to fight Kisshu off. Angelica realized it was to late. He was practically on top of her.

_"Get up, wipe that stupid look off your face and do things right!"_

" One mew down, TWO TO GO!" Kisshu cried as he swung his daggers down firmly.

" SKITTLE' HARP!" Kisshu's daggers hit Angelica's harp. Angelica's eyes narrowed as her grip tightened around her weapon. Kisshu growled and pushed harder. Angelica stood up and pushed him away as he swiftly ran toward her again, daggers ready.

_" Do things right!"_

" SKITTLE'S LIED!" A blinding light shrouded the streets, hiding everything in brightness. A sudden explosion erupted, sending concrete flying and the other two mew mew's who had just arrived, flying back into shards of glass. Angelica herself felt her skin burning off, her hair whipped her body and her eyes felt as though they were being pierced. Kisshu had already teleported away and his Chimera anime began to disintegrate. The only remainder of anything or anyone there was black burnt outline's.

**Haha, I edited this to go from a whooping 11 pages to a glorious 6! Now full of more FAIL! : D**

**Title inspired by Muse's song Plug In Baby**


	4. Sleepy Head

**Chapter 4**

She let out an ear piercing scream and began to sob uncontrollably. A little head popped in , then disappeared starting to yell.

" Mommy, mommy! Big sister's crying!" Loud footsteps ran in a haste toward the sobbing girls room, dashing inside.

" Saline, what happened? Are you ok?" Saline's mother asked, hugging her. Saline pulled away slowly and wiped her face with the sleeves of her pajamas. Nodding, she hiccupped .

" What happened are you hurt? Should I take you to the hospital?" Her mother panicked, rubbing her daughters back who claimed it was a nightmare.

" I made soup! Are you hungry? Maybe it'll help you feel better?" Abby asked, ignoring Saline's shrug, and scurried out the door.

Saline twitched, pain throbbed through her entire body accompanied by a surge of power she had never felt before. Clutching her sides a migraine started to develop as she softly sobbed. The pain was unbearable and absolutely brutal. And the power. The amazing yet painful surging of power. The power increased the pain, pressuring her yet it was as if she was rising out of her own body. She moaned loudly in twinge as her cheeks turned pink and sweat rolled down her forehead. She bit her lip as the pain boiled up inside and she screamed again. She saw a flash of black and then fluttered her eyes open to see her mother sitting down with two men at her side.

One put a hand on her cheek as the other took out a needle. Her mother, eyes puffy, walked out of the room muttering something about water.

" What's goi-" The blonde one, who looked like just a teenage boy, silenced her by placing a finger on her lips.

" Shhhh. don't waste your energy." He said, though held no emotion to his words until she nodded. Her expression turned painful at the movement, and a look of concern hit his face.

" Miss Akdag, you have a very high fever, and your mother said you're experiencing pains." The brunet interjected. " There's nothing to worry about, it's only because of your mew mew powers. they kicked in when your friends got severely injured."

Saline rose, ignoring the pain; her eyes grew wide the two.

" You really shouldn't-"

" How do you know about me being a mew mew?" Saline's voice rose. A fainting spell hit her and she slumped off the edge of her bed. The blonde caught her.

" You're too troublesome." He muttered, placing her back on her bed. " I'll be at the café, you've got everything under control."

" Don't worry miss Akdag, we're taking care of your friends right now. Please trust me." The brunette, after bidding his partner goodbye, pleaded as Saline nodded feebly.

" Who...are you?" Saline let out as he smiled warmly at her.

" Akasaka Keiichiro." And with that she fell asleep.

After a few hours she awoke once more, sweat rolling down her face. She glanced around, her sight a blur.

" Are you feeling better?"

" ...No." saline replied dimly, her throat burning.

" I know it hurts, but it'll go away by tonight." Keiichiro took a needle once more. " I promise."

Saline closed her eyes, hearing the door open. She felt the needle pierce into her skin injecting a foreign substance into her. It hurt, adding more to the boiling pain, and she whimpered.

" Is she all right?" It was her father, she felt a large warm hand caress her cheek. " Do we need to take her to the hospital?"

His voice was concerned, almost panicked and Saline felt his heart beating fast.

" No, she's in immense pain though it should go away tonight." Saline's parents sighed in relief.

" She shouldn't go to school for at least two more days, she might be stressed and the pain might come back." Keiichiro calmly continued.

" What should we do in that time?" Her mother asked.

" Give her this medicine, give her lots of water and let her sleep." Keiichiro packed up his things , then turned to face the two parents. Saline's father, Eddy, took out his wallet. Keiichiro shook his hand to stop him.

" No, no. There's no need for that! This rarely happens so it's quite alright!" Kiichiro smiled at the two before heading out the door. Saline's parents fallowed.

"Excuse me, I forgot my bag!" Keiichiro went back into Saline's room. Before making sure her parants weren't around, Keiichiro placed a pink card on Saline's desk.

" If you want answers visit Cafe Mew Mew." He then walked out the door. Saline made a mental note of that and went back to thinking about the most puzzling thing ever, the thing that was so confusing it made her head hurt just thinking about it. Kisshu.

**XXX**

" Angelica, it's time to wake up now."

Angelica opened her eyes slightly, body burning with every breath she inhaled. The figure in front of her remained a blur.

" Come on sweetie, wake up."

The body focused into view; an elderly woman with outstretched hands smiled at her. Angelica gasped, though pain panged through her lungs, and weakly parted her lips into a smile.

" Grand...mother." Angelica croaked, the woman nodded.

" Come my dear Angelica." Angelica slowly reached out, trying to grasp the woman's hand who was fading away.

" No...Grand mother...come back." A tear slipped down her cheek as she reached further.

" I have to go now Angelica. . ."

" No, please don't!" She pleaded, more tears piling along her eyes.

" Good-bye, Angelica." Angelica whimpered at those words; both her arms were trying to grasp what was not in front of her. Angelica turned her head, the warm room her grand mother was in was now gone and the sweet smell of cookies had turned into nothing but a musty odor. Her body would not respond, she couldn't move anything. She moaned, and a familiar voice rang out.

" Finally you're awake."

"Crystal?" Angelica questioned.

" No freaking way, Angelica." Crystal mocked, clearing her throat.

" Where are we?"

" If I knew I think I would have told you by now." Crystal retorted, angelica scowled.

" Angelica?"

" Hm?"

" Good job."

" What?"

" Even though I can't move and Marissa is still unconscious, you did good." Crystal said, smiling as wide as her hurting face would let her.

" No, it was really you, I just remembered what you said." Angelica meekly replied.

" Yah I know, my humble personality and good looks really help my words stick!" She weakly laughed. ". . .I was just joking. . .Well, fine."

Angelica laughed in pain and attempted to stand again though fell back into the bed. Both girls turned their heads when the door creaked. A foot stepped inside fallowed by a body and a head. Both girls felt heat rise to their face and hearts speed up.

" I see you two are awake."

Both girls stared, mouths open, cheeks red.

" I'm Shirogane, Ryou."

They kept staring. Ryou's face held confusion and he arched an eye brow.

" Er I'm, um I'm..." Crystal blubbered.

" I er mmm am uh..." Angelica added to the others rambling. Silenced settled as Ryou stared at both of them.

" I'm Angelica."

" I'm Crystal."

Ryou smiled and headed towards his computer. Angelica pinched Crystal.

" Ow!"

" Back ooooffff!" Angelica sang the last word, keeping her smile on. Crystal pinched her back.

" No chaaannnncceee!" Crystal retorted in her own sing-song voice. They both kept hitting each other and abruptly stopped when Ryou turned to face them once more.

" I'm surprised you two haven't asked why you're here and who I am." Angelica and Crystals eye's widened and they turned to each other.

" You're not bad are you?" Angelica asked, eyes wide. " Did you ra-"

" Don't even go there." Crystal stopped Angelica's words by placing a hand over her mouth. Angelica, narrowing her eyes, slapped the others hand away. Both girls groaned at the contact.

" I didn't harm any of you." Ryou apathetically let out." Let me start again, I'm Shirogane, Ryou. Maker of the mew project."

" So you mean, you're the one who made us like this?" Ryou nodded at Crystals question. Angelica clutched her blanket.

" You're the one who did this, the one who made our lives so complicated!" Crystal raised her voice, Ryou nodded again and turned around to face his computer. Angelica smacked Crystal on the arm.

" Don't yell at him! Can't you see he's hot?" Crystal blankly stared at Angelica's scorning.

" Why did you do it?" Angelica asked, turning serious all of a sudden. Crystals jaw dropped.

" To save the world." Ryou swiveled his chair around to face them. " Those animals, or Chimera anima's don't just pop out of thin air, there's a source."

" Aliens." Crystal spoke as Ryou nodded his head with a smirk.

" You girls were chosen by whether or not you're DNA could be altered with that of a red data animal."

" Were infused with endangered animals." Angelica stated, interrupting Ryou.

" With that Red Data you have the power stand up against the aliens, to stop them from taking over earth." Angelica looked skeptically at him when he finished .

" Look dude, I'm sorry but this just sounds like a messed up Sci Fi movie." Angelica retorted. Blatantly ignoring her, Ryou walked towards the door.

" You two should rest, your injury's haven't recovered yet." He walked out, leaving the girls in the dark.

**XXX**

" YO HO HO!" Saline glanced side ways to see a brunette bursting through the door. Dropping a green folder stuffed with a large stack of paper on the desk, she pulled up a chair and sat next to Saline. Crossing her legs she turned to watch the playing music video on the television screen.

" Nothing cheers you up like a hot guy that can SIINNNNGGG!" Saline smiled at her friends poor attempts at opera.

" You missed out on soooo much but I, Cassidy McMullan, have taken it upon my self to help you and I heard that I have two days! Am I correct?" Cassidy asked, getting a weak nod from Saline. " First of all Emily and Ryan broke up, AGAIN! Those two are really getting on my nerves...Oh! Before I forget!"

Cassidy stood up, pulling her shirt a little above her belly button. Saline's eyes widened, her mind raced as she forced her head to turn despite the abhorrent pain. Above Cassidy's belly button was a small, green tattoo. Similar to Saline's and the others.

" Isn't it weird? I hope my parents don't see it. . ." Cassidy shrugged. " Oh well. . ."

" Cassidy!" Saline yelled, pain casing her bones. Startled, the hazel eyed brunnette turned to her.

" Go to the..." Pausing, she tried to decipher where the others where, " . . . The plaza!"

Cassidy raised an eye brow.

" Whyyyyyyyyy?" Cassidy asked as Saline shook her head. "

" Please Cassidy, Crystal and Angelica need you." Her expression was that of a hopeful one and yet doubted that Cassidy would listen. Cassidy rose out of the chair slowly, put it back to it's original spot and walked towards the door. She cracked the door open.

" Sure Saline." Cassidy nodded then turned away. " I'll go on my way home, definitely."

Cassidy shut the door behind her.

" She's not going." Saline muttered, shaking her head and flickered her attention towards the television.

Walking towards her sub-division, Cassidy stopped in an odd fashion and sighed. It wouldn't hurt to go, right? Pffff, wrong. But what if something was going on with the others? Turning her heel she took her chances and made way for the plaza. She mentally questioned her actions, not paying attention to her surroundings. Hence, she fell.

Muttering colorful curse words, Cassidy pushed herself onto her knee's and turned to look behind her. Nothing, not even one tiny crack. Leave it up to a dope like Cassidy to trip over nothing. She shook off her stupidity, well at least she tried; if it was even possible.

Cassidy's eyes widened, the ground beneath her shook numerous times before coming to a rest. In the distance she heard screams, each in perfect audio to her disbelief and fascination. Getting up, she ran towards the plaza which was exactly three miles away. Lucky her. Really. Everything went by in a flash and in half the time she was only meters from her destination, it only took 15 minutes.

'Well I'm here...' she thought pathetically, coming to see nothing happening.

"...bitch." Cassidy mumbled, groaning over the fact Saline made her run all this way. Her eyes rolled at her own stupidity. Why would Crystal, Marissa and Angelica need her help? She was beginning to feel more idiotic than she already thought she was. She turned around. Her face whipped to meet another's, a mutant of some sort, crossed between a cricket and human. Perfectly normal. Wait a sec. . .

"..oh..shi-" A flash of blue pulled Cassidy away from the hostile cricket. Cassidy eyes bulged and she looked up to a girl with wings.

" Crystal?" It was hard to tell, since her skin was paler than the original tan, her eyes and hair were pale blue and she appeared a few years older. Crystal herself looked shocked.

" Errrr, I have no idea what you..." Crystal began. "...Uh, yeah it's me. Just run away."

" Feel free to scream too!" Angelica added landing next to them and then gracefully hoped away. Cassidy grabbed Crystals shoulder and attempted to speak.

" No time; just run!" Crystal dashed to accompany Angelica. Cassidy stood, thinking back to find a reason why she was so frightened in the first place... and she couldn't find one. Breaking a large, yet puny branch from a nearby tree she ran towards the creature. She mashed the stick into the Crickets body, or at least tried to. After five seconds of standing there like an idiot, the cricket glanced over at Cassidy. Pushing the other mews into the stores walls, it turned to Cassidy.

" Okay. . . I'm screwed." Cassidy whimpered, backing up into a red convertible. She gulped. The creature lifted a claw to her face; it glowed an eerie green. Cassidy started screaming. The creature threw a cluster of baby crickets. Squealing, she began shaking about trying to get them off. To make matters worse something hard shot against her temple. Looking down she saw a small pendant glowing next to her hand. Instinctively, she grasped it.

" MEW MEW PAPAYA METAMORPHO-SIS!"

A radiant green threw off all of the crickets. Jumping out of the flash, Cassidy stood in a daze. Her light brown locks were a vibrant green along with her lime green eyes. Her shorts stopped above her knees, boots slightly below, and her tank top, with straps that connected around her choker, exposed her belly. She had on wrist bands and a pattern of black, yellow and white on her doggy ears and tail.

" For hurting these innocent people, I'll kick your ass!~Wana!" Cassidy cried out, earning a few looks from the other mews. Cassidy leaped towards the Chimera. Dancing en pointe, she twirled, ramming her legs into the cricket. Doing a back flip the chimera quickly got back up on it's feet and threw a ball of crickets in Cassidy's direction. She crouched, legs in that of a frogs and arms parallel to each other extended foreword, the crickets flew over her head. From her position she leaped, appearing ballon. The Chimera ran head first towards her; she moved into a Pas de Chat. She punched the Chimera, twirling on one foot. The Chimera was knocked onto the ground, glaring ferociously at Cassidy. She spun in place and then leaped into the air with her arm lifted above her head and in a lavish of green, a lime colored guitar gently hovered into her arms. Crystal jumped to Cassidy's left and Angelica to her right with their summoned weapons.

" Since our lead singer can't make the show, I'll be filling in!" The crowd, now surrounding them, cheered. Head phones appeared in a sparkle and lit up in a rainbow on her head.

" Mew Mew Melody! It's show time!" They cried out. The sound started off in an even play. Not to fast and not to slow. " There you go again, thinking everything come's so easy. There you go again, saying what you know will hurt me."

The sound now tore through the audience, as Cassidy began to strum her electric guitar harder.

" I still remember when , when you used to hold my hands and whispered to me softly that there was no one else you cherished more than me." Cassidy sang, her voice slightly rising. " I guess it was just me."

and how I used to think it wasn't just a lie.

The cheering became more persistent, the cricket anima twitched, clutching it's head and crouching. With no alien to control it, it's powers diminished.

" I'll go and break all these chains, those memories aren't worth a thing. I hate you so much and yet. . ." The chimera combusted into sparks. ". . .I still remember when."

" You were sooooo good!" Angelica exclaimed hugging Cassidy.

" Not really..." Cassidy blushed.

" Well except for the fact that the cricket population is up by 25 percent, I think we did good!" Crystal nodded.

" We better get out of here." Crystal turned to leap away with Cassidy behind. Angelica glanced back to the crowd, then ran after them pointing a finger aimlessly to the sky shouting,

" TO THE BAT CAVE!"

**A/N: Yurp, edited once more, and yet again I managed to get his chapter down to seven pages. *sigh***

**Title inspired by Passion Pits song Sleepy Head.**


	5. If We Ever

**Chapter 5**

Warmth. A feeling of warmth agitated her body, which now felt fully rested. She didn't want to open her eye's but sleep for hours on end. And though her body was relaxed and she felt blissfully warm, a constant tick made her cringe. It was a boisterous and obnoxious noise, creeping into her ears. Finally she snapped her eyes open. It was eerily quiet, almost suspenseful. Then-

" MARISSA!"

" AHHHHHHHH!" Now all three of them were shrieking-Marissa who's heart had just stopped and the other two girls giddily in a union.

" What are you two trying to do? Make me go deaf?" Marissa glanced at both girls standing on each side of her bed. Their constant grinning made her uncomfortable.

" Guess What!" Angelica questioned, bouncing on her tip toes.

" What?"

" CHICKEN BUTT!" Marissa shook her head as Angelica broke into uncontrollable laughter.

" No really, really-" Angelica took a breath.

" Guess!" Crystal finished for her.

" Oh I know!"

" Yes, Yes?" Angelica impatiently repeated.

" You both are complete idiots." She said dryly. Ignoring the comment both girls shook there heads side to side.

" Introducing the latest addition to Melody Mew Mews; drum roll please!" Angelica started a drum roll as Crystal pointed at a wooden desk lined with un organized papers.

" MEW PAPAYA!" Both girls yelled in a fusion as Cassidy jumped out from behind the desk, striking a pose.

" Oh my goodness!" Marissa mouth gaped, " Seriously?"

" Yeah, why not?"

" I don't know! It's just amazing; I mean the fact that so far we all know each other!" Marissa pondered.

" Yeah, it is a bit weird. But hey I'm not complaining! I like it this way!" Angelica shrugged, the others looked uncertain. " Right you guys?. . .Hello?"

" What if one of us got hurt." Crystal crossed her arms. " It would effect the whole group."

" Oh, please! Have you seen those things we fight?" Angelica cocked her head. " It only takes a few hits to defeat them! They're not much of a challenge."

" But just think..."

" I swear Crystal you're such a mood killer!"

" Well we do have to at least consider it!" Crystal received another glare from Angelica.

" It's still not goanna happen, Crystal!"

" I never said it would, but it could!"

" La la la la la laaaaaa la!" Angelica placed her hands over her ears.

" Don't you La la me! Listen here blubber butt-"

" They just have to ruin a good mood." Interjected Cassidy, leaning against the bed.

" That's a shame." Marissa nodded her head and began to rub her throbbing temples.

Cassidy, trying to ignore the two girls bickering, gazed around the room. It was large, consisting of metallic and silver. Different sized computer screens were lined along the wall which was parallel to the stair case that led back down to the cafe. The monitors showed various places throughout Florida as well as other places around the world. One screen showed the view of a street lined with large buildings and clustering pedestrians; In the far off, behind the brooding yet always stylish buildings was the tip of the Eiffel tower. Another monitor was scouting another large and western city; Tokyo to be exact. There was also a space view of the earth and another screen with red dots scattered across a map of the united states. Test tubes and lab equipment were neatly placed on the high tables or next to the various sinks scattered against the walls. Cassidy scrunched her nose, vaguely aware that she had gotten used to the cold smell of the attic. She turned to Marissa who was struggling to stand.

" Need help?"

" No it's okay I'm fine!" Marissa flashed a brilliant smile, something she had a talent for doing. Marissa had the most prettiest smile. The corners of her eyes would crinkle, the tips of her cheeks would flare pink against her brown skin and she would tilt her head up.

" I see you girls have fully recovered." Ryou, entering the room, gave a small nod in Marissa's direction. Cassidy was just as stiff as the other girls but not in the least bit drooling over his good looks. " Who are you?"

Cassidy's eyes widened as her head rose up an inch. She found it incredibly hard to look into his eyes. She just pointed at herself dumbly as he nodded.

" Cassidy."

" She's a mew." Crystal interloped and felt her heart speed up when he moved his eyes toward her.

" I can see that." He walked closer. " Let me introduce myself again, I'm Shirogane Ryou."

Cassidy took his hand and felt her face flare; she thanked God when a brunet barged in.

" Well she's fine and I gave her the address to the cafe...oh hello!" Keiichiro smiled at the girls, who instantly warmed up. " I see that these are the others."

Ryou gave a curt nod and turned his attention back to his brunette assistant.

" Was she that ill?"

" No just a fever, it'll clear up today. Ah, why don't we start by telling these young ladies everything they're probably wanting to know."

" You go ahead, I have some business to attend to." Keiichiro gave a weak smile to the blonde, who exited out the room as quickly as he came in.

" Oh, I'm sorry." He gave a small smile to the cluster of girls; realizing they hadn't met before. " How rude of me! I'm Akasaka Keiichiro."

The girls glanced at each other. Angelica tapped her foot impatiently on the ground while Cassidy kept examining the room and its inhabitants. Keiichiro glanced at a small screen at the very corner of the room.

" It's another chimera anima." He mused, smiling back at the group of girls.

" Don't think you're getting rid of us that easily." Angelica frowned. " We're not leaving until we get some straight answers!"

" We should at least wait for your leader."

" And that would be?"

" Ms. Akdag."

" Who died and made her leader?" Crystal asked as Keiichiro rubbed the back of his head nervously. The other girls surprisingly agreed.

**XXX**

" The oranges are rotting!" A middle aged brunette sighed holding up a moldy orange spotted with white patches.

" You did buy a whole box full."

" That's just all the more reason you two should eat a lot!"

" A person can only eat so many oranges." The brunette huffed and carried the half empty box into the garage. Saline turned back to the living room television screen and flipped through the channels. Finally she stopped and gave a small smile of content.

" Oh, who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!-"

" Aren't you to old for sponge bob?" Saline's mother sat next to her and rubbed her temples.

Saline started laughing uncontrollably. Her mother raised a thin eye brow and saline stopped.

" Oh, you're serious?" Saline asked, dumbfounded by the question. Her mother shook her head and stood back up, heading to her room. After a few minutes she came out and walked to the front door.

" I'm picking up Serena from school. I have a key so don't answer the door if it rings and if something happens just call me."

Saline blinked once and her mother rushed out the door. She resumed watching. Half an hour passed. An hour. Two hours. Something was wrong.

**XXX**

" Can we hurry it up?" Cassidy shot over her shoulder at the other girls who were struggling to catch up with her. It appeared Cassidy had a knack for speed when it came to her mew form.

" What's the rush?" Angelica heaved as she pushed herself off another car; the driver spat some choice words at her.

" I have to get to the movies! I'm meeting Erin." Cassidy whined.

" What Cassidy means is . . . " Marissa smirked. " . . .We have to save the innocent people that are in danger of dieing."

" Oh, shut up." Cassidy muttered and continued to dash foreword. " Hey, where'd Crystal go?"

" She flew ahead."

" That's so unfair!" Angelica groaned.

" Hey! The signals coming from that preschool!"

" Oh snap, that's not good!" Marissa leered.

" Alright!" Cassidy pumped her fists." Lets attack!"

" There are children still in there, we can't!" Marissa tugged on Cassidy's shoulder who immediately pulled away.

" Oh, right. I didn't think of that." Cassidy backed away and stared hard at the small building.

" Alright I got it!" Angelica smirked huddling them all up. She whispered softly into the girls ears before they set off to action. Crystal flew off above the school and summoned her weapon. Placing the metallic tip to her lips she began to blow out a soft tune. Soon all the children filed out the building as if trying to fallow the music to its source. Marissa stood by the line of toddlers and teachers blasting stray chimera anima and playing her own melody to accompany Crystals. Angelica was currently inside attacking the malformed guinea pig, barely winning the fight.

The giant rodent snapped it's jagged, yellow stained teeth and fell head first into a shelf. It pawed it's head distortedly before jumping onto it's hind legs and shooting sharp daggers from its front paws. Angelica back flipped over a desk and pushed it down to act as a shield against the spikes before kicking it straight toward the animals face. The chimera anima swiped it away with one paw and snarled fiercely before ripping out the front door from it's hinges and hurdling it to her. Angelica jumped to the right to avoid it but it smacked against her leg, flipping her through the air and crashing her head through a doll house. It hopped beside her, swiping its long nails against her rib cage and sending her rolling across the floor. She kicked herself off the wall and onto the office counter before lifting her harp above her head and bringing it down to her chest fast.

A beam shot out toward the monstrous guinea pig who flew back and through the wall into another room. Angelica smirked and burst through the giant hole to assail the beast. It reared its head and charged in her direction. She quickly jumped to the side as it flew into the wall, resulting in another hole. She shouted her attack once more, knocking out the chimera anima though not un-mutating it. She quickly prepared to finish the job.

" SKITTLES . . . ." Angelica held the harp above her head, concentrating on the power it began to form. A large array of colors spun wildly before being transfixed into an orb. " . . .LI-UHG!"

Angelica's sight shifted from the unconscious chimera anima to the cold, blue tile. A strong, piercing gust of wind had sent her into the air and then back down, face foreword, onto the floor. Angelica groaned as she tried to stand but let herself sink to her knees when she saw large slices that had barely dug into her skin on the side of her top. She lifted her head expecting to see the smirking, playful face of Kisshu but instead came face to face with a rather stoic, callous one. The boy floating inches off the ground was definitely not Kisshu but rather someone older. He still had the dominant feature of long elfish ears and unnaturally pale skin but his hair was a nice, bold shade of purple which was let loose except for a small clump enclosed by a dark green ribbon. His outfit was also different with a sleeveless purple shirt that's collar was slightly covering his throat and long purple pants with ribbons flailing behind him.

His dark colored eyes flashed over to her. Angelica slightly trembled as her red wolf ears drooped. The heat rose to her face. She quickly pushed herself to stand, not wanting to appear weak. He raised a large red fan in defense as Angelica mentally groaned. She was not going to put up a fight with this guy and his super wind powers. Angelica glanced at her ripped up outfit, the older alien noticed this and smirked maliciously at her. Angelica tried her best to glare frighteningly at the male but it wasn't working quite as well as she'd hoped

" What is wrong with you?" Angelica hissed, sassily placing both hands on her hips. He raised a delicate eyebrow in amusement. " You can't just bust in and flip a person straight on their face!"

" . . .It isn't my liability that you can not keep your ground."

" Listen here dip-wad, don't start picking a fight with someone you can't handle!"

" I do not." He dismissed the insult as if it were a feeble comment. " That is the purpose of my being here."

" Oh? It is ON, cracker jack!" Angelica aimlessly flailed a pointed finger at the alien who moved his arm gracefully from his chest to his side while floating a few inches backwards and letting out a powerful gust of wind. Angelica threw her arms and weapon in front of her to create a periwinkle force field though it was pushed backwards by the gust. She felt her hair swivel around her as she shut her eyes. Pai swooped forewords knocking her off her feet with a single punch and then ripping her puffy shorts with the side of his fan. Angelica rolled onto her feet in an attempt to fight back but was pushed into a pile of stuffed animals, much to her relief. Being pushed into hard, sold surfaces had began to pain her body the first few times. She hopped back up and rippled a sound wave through the air with the stroke of her harp. Pai easily blocked it and raised his arm to attack once again.

" Good bye little mew mew." A forceful blast of air sent her through the window, sliding across the mulch of the playground and into a wooden bench. This time Angelica made no move to stand; she had exceeded her limit.

" What the hell dude?" Cassidy rammed her fist into Pai's chest before jumping back onto her feet and summoning her guitar. " Hey, Angelica, you okay?"

Angelica let out a muffled groan in response.

" What?" Cassidy leaned foreword. Angelica raised her head and spat out a mouth full of mulch and weeds. Her face was adorned by black bruises, cuts and dirt with white debris sprinkled into her periwinkle hair.

" . . . just dandy." Angelica mumbled before letting her head fall back down onto the ground.

" Alrighty then . . ." Cassidy turned around to be kicked onto the seat of a yellow swing. She fell off the seat, onto her back.

" You should not turn your back on the enemy." Pai stated flatly, as Cassidy untangled her legs from the chains. She stood up and strummed the strings of her guitar hitting Pai and sending him flying higher into the sky with a grunt.

" What ever you do don't mess up his face!" Angelica warned, now deciding was a time as good as any to get back on her feet to fight.

" Why?" Cassidy inquired. Preparing to attack as Pai tried to regain his balance.

" He's cute!" Angelica whined as Cassidy gawked at her. Smacking her face with the palm of her hand, Cassidy turned her attention back to the alien who had disappeared.

" Where'd he go?" Cassidy screamed, frantically spinning around. Pai reappeared before her. Cassidy lifted her weapon only to have it ripped out of her hands and thrown off to one side.

' A-pft-uh-ack-uh . . .dude?" Cassidy dumbly gaped at her guitar lying a few meters away. Marissa landed behind the alien as Crystal floated above him. Angelica sat Indian style a few feet away simply oblivious to the fact that the plan was to trap him.

" Oh, so we're trapping the hot-erm, I mean creepy alien." Angelica wobbled over to them and sat down.

" Where is Kisshu and who the heck are you?" Crystal demanded.

" How many of you are there?" Cassidy stipulated, ready to jump on him any moment.

" I am not disposed to answer any of your questions." He said in monotone then broke out into a smirk, " Though as for Kisshu, you should really be with your fellow mew right about now."

A ripple flew out in a circular formation as he disappeared. The mew mews jumped at where he was standing but ended up bonking each other on the heads and then landing in a heap on the ground. Angelica was the first to turn back into normal and rolled onto her side limply. Crystal crossed her arms and turned her head away from Angelica.

" Honestly, you tire out so easily." Crystal remarked. Marissa looked at the mutilated building, adorned with several holes.

" It does look like she got hit. . . .a lot." Marissa frowned and sat next to Angelica who laid in a daze." We should get to Saline, you heard what the guy said."

" Relax, Kisshu wont hurt her." Crystal said. Marissa shot her a look reminding her of what state the leader was in and who had caused it. "Okay, okay . . .he won't kill her. Happy?"

" Who the hell is Kisshu? I keep hearing his name!" Cassidy plopped down beside the other two girls.

" Another alien."

" Seriously? Wait so in addition to those mutant things there are aliens?" Cassidy asked to earn a slight nod from Crystal. " Oh, well I definitely can't wait to meet him. He has to be a bundle of joy."

" Ugly too."

" He's not ugly. Crystals just mad because he hurt Saline." Marissa giggled.

Angelica breathed in and let out a deep, wavering sigh. She smiled goofily and rose to a sitting condition.

"What's wrong with you? I'm pretty sure it's not because you got the crap beat out of you." Crystal stared intensely at the swooning girl.

" I think I'm in love." Angelica whispered as the others fell onto their backs with a groan.

**A/N: Wow. I sure took my sweet little time on this one and hey! Looky-looky! It's eight pages! The shortest chapter yet! THIS CALLS FOR A CELEBRATION!**

**Edit: Yeah, so I fixed it up. Took out some unnecessary dialogue as well. Now it's six pages. . .never actually realized how long these things were and how many random things I added for no good reason.**

**Title inspired by David Guetta's song If We Ever.**


	6. Golden Oppurtunity

**Melody Mew Mew's  
Chapter 6  
The Golden Opportunity; Our Trembling Breaks.**

Saline ran down the street , skidded around the corner and darted up into an empty parking lot. She gasped for air while heaving her shoulders up and down. Glancing behind her for a single moment, she began to run again, her legs going like windmills. She skidded to a stop before entering one of Florida's many forested areas and ducked behind a tree. She fell onto her butt, her face burning feverishly and bringing back the memories of the unpleasant sickness she had just gotten over.  
Her heart was about to burst inside her chest and her legs burned from all the running. After she was certain that she was safe she let out a sigh of relief and tilted her head back. Instead of feeling the warm sun on her face, a pair of lips crashed down on hers and she let out a stifled scream.

" Now, now Kitten-" Kisshu cooed**. **" -you're going to have to run a bit faster than that."

Saline crawled away, her Atreyu band shirt covered in moss and grass stains. Her khaki shorts were also dirt covered. She stood up, cursing herself for loosing her pendant and glared at him. He floated closer as she kept stepping back.

" Aw. Did I scare my little kitty?" Kisshu smirked maliciously.

" Hell no!" Saline growled, her feline genes getting the best of her. She stepped foreword as her tail slipped out of her shorts and began swaying to and fro fiercely.

" It's not wise to curse at someone who _loves _you _so_ much." He tsked at her.

" Shut up!" She yowled. " You just never seem to keep that damn mouth of yours shut!"

" Don't be mad at me that your boy friend didn't come to you in your 'time of need' ." Kisshu grinned toothily at her, clearly amused to see her getting even more steamed.

" Well he wouldn't have to visit me if you hadn't have dropped me!"

" I thought you wanted me to obey your wishes-you did tell me to let you go after all."

" Now you're obeying my wishes? I thought it was just tough love." She said sarcastically. Kisshu pinned her to a tree.

" You'll learn to like me." Kisshu sneered with a sadistic grin. His hands squeezed hard around her wrists. Salines anger got the best of her.

" Ha!" She mockingly gave out a harsh laugh. " I don't like you and I never will, not even if hell freezes over!"

Kisshu threw her to the ground. He was now glaring coldly at her.

" If that's how you feel kitten, then there's no point in keeping you alive now is there?"

Saline automatically regretted those very words and not only because it pissed Kisshu off enough to make him want to kill her, but because something had hit the pit of her chest like a heavy, rough rock. She immediately jumped up onto her feet and backed up. Kisshu summoned a pair of swords and swung them dangerously in the air in front of him. She backed up even more, feeling her heart speed up with anxiety. Not only did she not have her pendant, but her fellow mews were no where in sight; neither was Masha.  
Kisshu flew head first into her. She flipped over him with ease but he grabbed her ankle and ripped her through the air like a rocket. She flew past various bushes before painfully landing on her face. Rising to her feet she did the only thing she could do; She ran like hell into the city.

" Well, what should we do now?" Crystal asked lazily staring at the cloud formations in the sky. She had seen approximately: three horses, five elephants, four cats, two bananas and a hobo. Her head was granting her a massive migraine.

" Well-" Marissa started. " Angelica's gone off into her own little world and Cassidy is probably at the theaters throwing popcorn at the people sitting a few rows below her."

" So?-" Crystal asked expectantly.

" So-my guess is that we just lye here until we get some feeling in our limbs again."

" We have volley ball practice tomorrow, but I hurt too much."

" Amen to that." Marissa sighed.

" What about Saline?" Crystal glanced over lazily at Marissa.

" She's a big girl, she can handle herself!" Marissa groaned. " Besides what's the worst that could happen?"

Just at that moment Saline let out an ear splitting scream as she dodged over and in between cars, as well as Kisshu's swords of fury.

" Yeah, I mean, She's probably at home watching Sponge bob or something" Crystal agreed.

" Mhm . . . so she's the leader." Marissa inquired.

" Why does she have to be the leader?" Asked Crystal, making the other two girls heads turn. " I don't want to take orders from someone!"

" I don't either but Saline _is _leader material." Angelica countered. " And besides, she wont go all power crazy."

" Or will she?" Marissa's eyes darted from side to side before she laughed." Joking!"

" I never said anything before, but-" Crystal leaned foreword using the last bit of what ever strength she had left. " Ever since she started going out with Dustine and everybody's been acting like her friend, she acts like she's better than us."

" She seems the same to me." Angelica said, eye brows furrowing.

" Whatever! She keeps rambling on about that new book she ordered, I finally said -' Just shut up!'- yesterday in gym. We were playing Guard the Pin and she just wouldn't listen to anything I had to say." Crystal whined.

Angelica rolled her eyes.

" Alright, what has crawled up your leg and bit you in the buttocks?" Angelica asked, her eyes locked with Crystals. " Selin hasn't changed Crystal, you have and I love Saline too much to let you insult her like this."

" I have not changed and yesterday she made fun of my brother!"

" She was only joking!"

" Joking or not, she's gotten extremely stuck up!"

Marissa's face scrunched up. What _had _gotten into Crystal? Crystal didn't like being charged around, that was for sure but could she honestly believe that Saline would work them like slaves? And they were all best friends, they shouldn't be talking about each other like this.

" Everyone thinks she's so perfect!" Crystal said aloud falling onto her back. " Like she's all that and a bag of chips."

Marissa shot up, feeling woozy in a instant after the fast movement and turned to what used to be the gate out of the park.

" I have to get home." Marissa was sick to stomach right now and she intended to leave the sitting girl to insult their 'bff' without her.

" Where are you going?" Angelica asked immediately. Both girls looked up innocently at her.

" I'm going home, if you guys want to sit here then go ahead." Marissa hastily walked out of the park.

" You know, I'm going to go check on Saline." Angelica slowly rose and sauntered behind Marissa. Crystal remained on the ground and lifted her knees up to her chest. Something had happened to her, something making her feel so bitter and she knew it.

" Come on kitty! Why don't you play for a bit?" Kisshu sneered, his usual playful tone replaced by something venomous.

Saline blandly ignored the mocking question and cursed herself in every language she knew for wearing her white ballet flats. She slowed down before stopping completely. Taking sharp in takes of breath, she stared at him. He swung his knife next to the crook of her neck, small slivers of dark brown hair fluttered to the pavement. Her breath hitched in her throat. She had a mild case of Aichmophobia, the fear of knives and other dangerously sharp and pointy objects. The blade was pressed against her skin and she screamed in her mind. Her body trembled violently as her eyes closely examined the blade.

" I wonder-" The sardonic voice broke Saline's thoughts. " -how the other mews would manage if I cut through your throat right now."

Saline swallowed a heavy lump in her throat, her fists clenched tightly next to her waist.

" _Would _they be able to manage?"

" Don't be cocky, they can take you with or without me!"

" How long would it take for them to notice your gone?"

" . . . . ."

" And would they miss you?"

With that, Saline knew exactly where Kisshu was taking this. He was trying to get her to doubt where her loyalty was and whether or not it was pointless to keep on fighting. Maybe if she had her pendant she could raise it before her and transformation with chance of standing against him or maybe if she was a bit more brave she could just punch him out right. Instead she stood there, shaking and scared, praying that some one -anyone- would come and help.

" Isn't it worthless to keep on trying? To keep trying to fight something you can't win against." Kisshu smirked. Saline nodded her head 'no' meekly. " Then why do you fight my little kitten?"

" Why do _you_ fight?" Saline asked timidly, the blade still a tiny push away from breaking her skin.

" Why do I fight?" Kisshu's eyes inadvertently widened a bit in a sudden blankness. " I fight for something greater than all of you, something greater than me. "

" And I'm fighting for something equally important." Saline choked and mustered up a bit of courage to push his blade down, much to her surprise as well as Kisshu's. " I know you're not fighting in vain- but neither am I. And I don't care what it might cost _me _but I'll take this fight to the ends of the earth. So don't under estimate me!"

"-And that's why I like you." Kisshu pulled her closer.

" h-huh?"

" You're unpromising ambition makes you even more amusing."

". . .unpromising. . ." Saline mumbled the word, clearly aware of the meaning.

" Yes, unpromising, because I too will fight to the ends of the earth but the difference is- I'll win." He whispered the last part and then disappeared.

Saline collapsed onto the ground, the dirt and mulch staining the skin of her knees. She began breathing heavily, the cool tip of Kisshu's blade still on her throat though he had already left.

"Hey, that dudes head, 5 points!" Cassidy sneered. A skinny brunette next to her blew into a straw: a balled up sour patch kid flew down to the first row.

" Your turn!" The small brunette pushed the bag of candy to her. Cassidy glanced down at it and then hesitantly snatched it up. She hated getting in trouble but one try wouldn't hurt, would it?  
Cassidy stuck the candy into her mouth, moistening it. She shoved it into the straw and then aimed at the bald head of a man sitting a few rows below her. She blew.

" Holy Crap! What The Hell Was That?" The man shrieked, diving onto the ground.

Cassidy sunk down into her chair.

" Erin, let's just watch the movie."

" It's so gay though!"

" Yeah, but we're going to get in trouble!"

" No we wont!" Erin aimed at another helpless victim. " heh heh heh."

" Oh, dear God." Cassidy squeaked. She scooted as far away as she could from Erin with a ' I don't know her.' look. She turned her focus back onto the movie, RV, which was a horrible excuse for a comedy. She wiped at her forehead. Why was the usually ice cold movie theatre so warm all of a sudden? She smoothed out her shorts and- woh, shorts? She was wearing jeans a few seconds ago. She looked down. Her heart leapt as she realized what had just happened. She ran out of the theatre, Erin calling after her. She had just turned into Mew Papaya without commanding it.

" Café Mew mew? Hmmm. . ." Saline glanced up at the pink building before her. " Cute."

She slipped the card that Keiichiro had given her back into her pocket. People gave her odd looks as she walked by. Saline pulled out a twig from the tresses of her hair and glanced around nervously. She stopped, hesitating in front of the door. Dusting off her shirt and pants and then fixing her hair, she walked into the café. It was packed. She recognized a lot of girls from her school.

" I see you've found your way here!" A cheery voice from behind her said. Saline turned to face Keiichiro.

" Oh, um, yeah." She awkwardly replied. Keiichiro motioned for her to fallow him. He led her to a door with the sign 'employees only' on it. They both walked through into a dark hallway with stairs at the very end. They walked up the metal stair case and down another hall with doors on all sides. At the end of the hallway Keiichiro pulled a string that was hanging off the ceiling. A flight of steps came down. Keiichiro motioned for her to go up first. Saline shrugged and walked up. The stairs led up to a large attic, or more accurately, a laboratory.

" So you did come." Ryou spoke, swerving his computer chair to face her. Her breath hitched in her throat. His eyes were so piercing; his cold glare scared her. Keiichiro lightly nudged her to get closer. She inched at the blond haired beauty. " I'm sure you'd like things to be cleared up for you but we must wait for the others."

Saline nodded, too shy to object. He stood up and walked over to a box. He pulled out a crème colored maids outfit with light pink lace decorating its exterior. He threw the wonderful dress at her.

" Go try it on in the fitting room." He turned to his computer. Keiichiro smiled meekly and led her back down into the first hallway they went through. He opened the door to show a medium sized room with lockers on one side, a little open room for bathroom stalls in the corner and another open room with showers.

" we'll be waiting up stairs." Keiichiro slipped out of the room. She tried on the dress which ended a bit above her knees. It was adorable, in truth but ridiculous to be worn in a café. She opened the door to find shoes. Putting on the black sneakers she walked back up into the lab.

" You look lovely." Keiichiro proclaimed, smiling at her. She smiled back.

" Thank-you."

" Isn't she pretty, Ryou?"

Ryou glanced back, made a face and then turned back to the screen. Saline sighed. Keiichiro seemed confused at his partners strange behavior. Ryou was, well, normal per say around the others but seemed to dislike the curly haired girl before them. Odd. He was normally polite around women.  
Foot steps echoed up the stairs. Cassidy ran into the lab as mew Papaya.

" Something happened!" Cassidy said. Then she saw Saline. " Oh hey Saline!"

" Cassidy!" Saline exclaimed. " C-Cassidy?" she repeated once more.

Cassidy glanced around aimlessly.

" Hiiiiiiiii," She gave a nervous smile. " You didn't know did you?"

" I-but-you-I-how-they-uhhh . . ." Saline fell back words and fainted.

A/n: Yeah. . . .It's been four months hasn't it? This chapter was crappy, I know. It lacks proper description and good flow but I'm rushing to get this finished and work on a new chapter on Tokyo's Sutoro. The truth is, I've lost my interest in these two stories, well, no that's a lie. The real truth is, I want to write the more exciting chapters now, the ones that will come out after a few more chapters. The chapters I'm writing now are just to introduced the characters, their personalities and relationships with each other. I'm overly bored with writing these chapters. In future chapters there's more romance too, so I also can't wait to get into that.

Another reason is, I've been having so many unique idea's for stories! I've about twenty or so saved in my documents! I've also started a quizilla account and I have a story on there. I'm also very lazy, remember this. The only reason I wrote this chapter was because of -Blue Amytal Cherub's review which I read just today.

Another thing, thank you all who have reviewed. I look back at my first and second chapters and I see that they are horrifically deformed. They're absolutely horrendous and I pledge to fix them. So thank you those who have read those atrocities and still kept being with me up to now. And if you have any question, about myself or any of my stories feel free to message me! I enjoy quenching your thirsts for answers. And check my homepage because some info is on there.

The next chapter will hopefully be out soon. Thanks for reading and please review.


	7. Bitter Rivalary

**Melody Mew Mews  
Chapter 7  
A Bitter Rivalry; Justice lies in a traitor!**

" I think she's coming to."

" Mr. Akasaka, she's waking up!"

Saline fluttered her eyes open to find she was surrounded by figures blurred by her vision. One leaned into her face, breath against her red cheeks.

" Well doncha just look darlin?" A voice asked with a heavy southern accent. Saline squinted her eyes to clear up her vision. The persons face settled, revealing to be Angelica with her head turned side ways and staring from the corner of her eyes. " Well we here got ourselves a cutie pie, how ya feelin little lady?"

Saline giggled at Angelica's antics as did the other two; Marissa and Cassidy. Saline's face scrunched up.

" Well, sweet niblets! What's the matter pretty lady? Need a truuuuuuue loves kiss?" Angelica coed before faking a spit. " Shirogane, how 'bout a rough 'n tough varmint like you give sleeping beauty over here a kiss?"

Shirogane mumbled something in annoyance, then glared at Angelica.

" It was a joke, don't get your panty hose in a bunch blondie!" Angelica reverted back to her normal voice.

" Where's Crystal?" Saline asked meekly with half lidded eyes. Marissa frowned.

" She got beat up pretty bad and is sorta-um- not well?" Marissa bit her bottom lip.

" Not well?" Saline got on her elbows with a panicky voice. " How 'Not well' ?"

" She's not hurt or anything! She needs to be alone." Marissa said as Saline stared at her blankly.

" Should I go talk to her?" Saline made a move to get up.

" No, no!" Angelica pushed her back down. " Trust me, she doesn't need you right now!"

" Is she mad at me?" Saline asked, disturbed by the statement.

" No, she's just in one of her bad moods."

" Oh." Saline said disappointedly.

" Anyways, what in the name of Jonas happened to you?" Angelica asked, emphasizing the word 'Jonas'. One of the most prominent features of Angelica was her undying love for the Jonas Brothers, especially Nick, that none of the other girls really understood.

" I don't know, Kisshu was chasing me and right when I thought he'd finish me off, he left." Saline cast her eyes down. " I just remember being scared, fearing for my life when he took out his dagger."

" It's alright now, you're safe." Angelica coed and then hugged her. " Next time we'll be there, I promise, okay?"

" It's alright, I know you guys were doing something important, I could feel it." She sighed and let her hand reach down for her pendant. Once she took it out, she felt the cool metal with her thumb. It felt so soothing to touch it, like a great weight had been lifted off her. She ran a finger on the symbol on it; a cool, light colored, crystal.

"Let's start. I'm sure you're all searching for answers." Ryou said, standing up and walking aimlessly towards them.

" We should wait for the blue mew, Crystal was it?" Keiichiro pondered as the girls jumped up.

" NO!"

" Alright, alright!" Keiichiro shook his hands in front of him defensibly. " Then let's begin with our objective."

" A few years back in the middle east, roughly around Iran, an unidentified flying object attacked a flight commander. He witnessed the ship to be triangular and glowing moving at the speeds faster than any jet in the world, even counting the ones built today. The ship locked all controls of the jet, enabling the pilot to use weapons when being attacked with strange glowing orbs. Strange thing is, the orbs circled him, despite the fact that he was moving faster than the speed of sound. A few months ago, we too detected a ship similar to the description of the pilot."

" Is it just me or does this sound like a messed up Si Fi movie?" Saline asked nervously as angelica remembered her same response.

" Just listen." Ryou raised his voice. " It was a crazy idea at first but eventually it seemed like the only option. We decided to create a batch of super humans ourselves after the government had denied our idea and the idea of an alien invasion itself. We needed to make a group of willing soldier harder, faster, better, stronger!"

" WE were willing?" Angelica asked quietly, dumbfounded.

" Is he quoting Kanye West?" Marissa's eye twitched.

" We set out all over the world collecting DNA from various animals." Ryou continued, ignoring the comments. " We found that only a small number of animals had the traits we were searching for, those animals were Red Data, in other words endangered. After the vigorous work of collecting the DNA, we started to search for a group of people who were compatible. We thought it would be best to have the group know each other, so they could work better. The only group of people compatible were here, so we set up our base and began monitoring you guys. After we were sure there wouldn't be dangerous side affects we injected the eight of you."

" Wait! Eight?" Saline stood up in surprise. " But there are only five of us!"

" The others haven't activated their pendants yet. Who knows, they never may unless you guys find them."

" Shouldn't you guys know who you injected!" Angelica retorted.

" It's not easy, we didn't spend hours on end trying to find you guys. We found you five, the computer found the other three, so we have no idea who the others are." Ryou sighed.

" What we do know is that the other three are girls and that they have been in Tampa in the past few months." Keiichiro informed.

" Well that narrows it down." Angelica replied sarcastically.

" How do we find them?" Saline asked while analyzing possible solutions in her mind.

" Simple, all of you have a distinct tattoo on your injection area." Ryou stated a matter-of-factly.

" Yeah! We'll just strip every girl in Tampa down and search them for a tattoo! Brilliant!" Angelica clapped her hands together and put on a mocking grin, that is until Ryou shot her a penetrating glare.

" And let's mention that these pendants-" Keiichiro held up three gold pendants; one turquoise, one orange and the last a deep yellow. "- will automatically magnetize to which ever girl it belongs too!"

" Alright, this is far from the subject but what does _he _want?" Saline rubbed the her hands together with unease.

" _He_?" Keiichiro inquired.

"Kisshu, what does he want?"

" Ah, the alien. Well, we don't know."

" But, what if they're fighting for something good."

" If they were fighting for good, they wouldn't be fighting at all." Ryou's voice sharply replied. He got up and walked straight up to Saline. His eyes were piercing and filled with malice. " And if you ever think of joining them you too will be a major enemy and will be terminated."

Saline's eyebrows arched up and her lips parted. She stared at him as the heat rose to her face and a lump formed in her throat.

" W-why would I join him?" She asked desperately.

" We're not clueless. . .we've been watching all of you."

Suddenly all the other girls faces turned to Saline, silently guessing what Ryou meant about Saline and Kisshu. Saline tilted her head towards their accusing eyes and slowly shook her head.

" Ryou that's enough, Saline hasn't done anything to jeopardize the team." Keiichiro firmly stated to the blond. He turned to Saline and gave a soft smile. " And I doubt she ever will."

" Well, um, then let's start looking for the three girls." Marissa asked rather hopefully just begging to get out of the room.

" Sure, that's a good idea." Keiichiro chirped.

" Be sure to come back here when you're done." Ryou dead panned while sliding back into his computer chair.

The girls nodded and left, splitting up to search for the three girls.  
**  
3333**

Holding a small orange pendant in her hand and a cell phone in the other, Saline weaved through the groups of people down town. She texted Angelica, asking for her and Marissa's progress. Angelica texted back with a frowny face. Saline sighed and slipped her phone into her back pocket. She was at least two hours away from home and the sun would start to dim soon. She realized that today was among the few that she didn't have any reason to transform, silently thanking God she rolled her shoulders as if to rid of a heavy weight. It had already been a month since that day at the movie theatres and she still hadn't gotten used to it. She wasn't a complex super soldier, just another kid in the world who didn't have any control over anything and now she was expected to over come extraterrestrials and probably save the world from perilous doom? Great, just dandy. She could barely put on matching socks in the morning. Of course, at first she had absolutely adored the idea. She had a chance to be a super hero, who else could say that? She was now almost like her favorite comic book hero, Batman. But the differences were as plain as day. While batman protected Gotham, a large city with a high crime rate, she protected the world from what was presumably a mass invasion (she could be wrong though, they still didn't know the aliens propose for being here.). She had grown sick of constantly sneaking out, cutting class, faking sick and most of all she was irritated of all the cuts, bruises and sometimes if Kisshu really wanted to get a kick, the horrible burns. She rubbed her arms just thinking about all of it; she really did despise pain. And while on the topic of battle, why in the world did she have to be pink? For Gods sake, out of all the colors in the rainbow! She had wanted the purple pendant after all, it consisting of her two favorite colors; purple and gold. Not that she didn't like pink, but it did catch more attention than the rest of the colors. Saline shook her head rapidly (as people stared and whispered the word 'insane' to each other, much to Saline's dismay.)and mumbled about how stupid she was being, she was so preoccupied that she couldn't even concentrate on finding her soon to be team mate. She also didn't see a familiar blonde walking over to her.

" Hey!"

" Wha-?" Saline replied dumbly. " Oh! Hey Dustin!"

" I didn't know you were going to be around here!" Dustin remarked.

" Oh, you didn't?"

" Uh no. . . .you never called me. . . Remember?"

" Oh, I'm so sorry! It's just that I was sick and some. . .issues. . .came up."

" No it's okay, I didn't mean it like that."

" Are you sure?" Saline gulped, a huge blush creeping up on her face. " I. . .sorta missed you. . .a lot."

Dustin smiled and bashfully rubbed the back of his head.

" I missed hanging out with you too."

Saline frowned. He missed hanging out with here, not really _her_, he'd never say he missed _her_.

" Hey are you okay?" Dustin gently put a hand on her shoulder, slightly making her jump.

" Yeah, I'm fine!" A plastic smile instantly plastered itself on her face.

" So do you want to go to the movies of the park or. . ."

" . . .Some where Marissa and Crystal aren't?"

" Ha ha, yeah, probably!"

" Sure I'll call you!" Saline replied. Dustin's face dropped immediately. ". . ._Or _why don't you call me?"

" That's loads better, and I _will _call." He mused as Saline's face flushed from embarrassment. " Eh, don't worry about it."

" yeah, well I have to go, so call me tonight or tomorrow or. . .whenever."

" Sure, see you."

" Bye!"

They both headed into opposite directions, only faltering in their steps to look back at each other before turning the corner. From above another familiar pair of eyes were watching both. Filled with malice and rage, they glittered an intense gold under the white light of the sun.

**333**

So, that's the end of chapter 7. Sorry there wasn't any fighting nor any of the aliens, well, except the 'familiar' eyes at the very end (I'm sure you all know who it is). Next chapter will probably contain the latest member of the mew mew family.

Also, now and again check back on my home page because I'll be putting up links to what the characters look like and also a little play list that corresponds to each couple. If you have any songs you think might fit any of the couples ( so far only Saline/Dustin, Saline/Kisshu, also Crystal and Angelica were fighting over Ryou in one chapter and Angelica's practically in love with Pai, so, Angelica/Pai) then in a review or private message just tell me and I'll add it onto the play list!

From now on I'll be updating faster, or at least trying to because schools about to start and I wont have time to write around the first month or two. Also I have a link to my quizilla and youtube up on my profile page.

Again, hope you liked reading the chapter! Please reviewz!


	8. Hatred Among Friends

**Melody Mew Mews  
Chapter 8  
Hatred among friends, the fire fans.**

Amidst pillows of blue and blankets of white, Crystal was sprawled on her bed with a contemplative look on her face. What was going on with her? How come when ever she looked at Saline's bright face she felt a fire burn in her gut? She scowled. With swift movement she threw one of her satin pillows at her window; it bounced off and landed safely on the carpet. She was angry, she was irritated she was. . . Irked. Yes, irked. As silly as the word sounded it completely satisfied the full capacity of her emotions. Her tan fingers ran through her long, silky black hair as she looked at herself through her full length mirror. She grumbled at her slight muffin top and her round, childish face. " Ugh!" She threw another felt so ugly, inside and out. The intensity of her feelings baffled her but worst of all she had unwisely displayed her fervid feelings to Angelica and Marissa, her two best friends. Well, Marissa was her best friend, Angelica was just a friend. . .or more like an annoyance.

Now the two would probably yap to Saline about everything and they would all turn against her and she would have to resort to wearing her blue anti-social jacket all over again. Her life would spiral into a complete replay of 4rth grade and that was NOT a road she was going to go down again. No, she would just have to gather them onto her side, that was all. Crystal rolled her eyes at her thought process. They wouldn't turn their backs on Saline-she was practically gold in their eyes, an innocent and typical 13 year old girl. But Crystal knew better, being her best friend for three years now; she had a complete 360 personality hidden behind her happy-go-lucky exterior and it wasn't very pleasant. In fact, she had never noticed it before until a month ago; when they had become mew mews. Something in her mind kept filling her thoughts with doubt towards the pink mew and slowly she had succumbed to the state she was now; loathing and ticked. But the truth was, she didn't like it and inside it made her hurt. Worst of all there was no one else who felt the same way she did. . .

_Of course there is._

" What?" Crystal turned to her door but found it closed. Her eyes widened. . .perhaps it had been her imagination.

_There's __**always **__someone. . ._Crystal bounced straight into the air and screamed. Her back hit the wall as her head snapped side to side trying to find the source of the voice.

_Don't fear. . ._

How could she not fear? Crystal slightly whimpered as her breaths became shallow; she was now officially scared. First the drama with Saline and now she was hearing voice? Someone call the men in white. . .

_Isn't there anyone else who can support you?_

" AHHHH!" Crystal shrieked, palms smacked against her ears as she began screeching. " OK, NOW SHAWTY HIGH YELLOW, SHAWTY EYES BROWN, SHAWTY SO GOLD AND SO IS MY CROWN! COLOR ME BAD!"

_Listen. . ._And then the voice faded out. Crystal let go of her ears and fell silent.

" I'm tired. . .yeah that's it." Head suddenly light and eyes droopy, she was convinced it was all a trick of her mind. As she was about to drift off to sleep a sudden thought broke through her exhaustion. There _was _someone who didn't seem quite taken with Saline, and she had no doubt that that person would agree to getting rid of the .

**333**

The sun began to creep behind the mass of trees; shades of orange and scarlet sinking into gaps between the leaves. In an hour night would fall and the warm Floridian musk would sink to allow cool, crisp air. Dustin could smell the faint scent of palm trees lingering in the air as he watched young elementary students scurry back to their apartments. Dustin picked up his pace, converses crunching the asphalt beneath his feet and avoiding stray toads along the way. He pulled out his cell phone and quickly went into his contacts, choosing a number he had been trying to get the nerve to call all day. Saline. His topaz eyes narrowed slightly as his thumb idly floated above the call button. He sighed, shook his wispy strands of dirty blonde hair and just stared at the beaming curly haired girl on the screen. He put the phone away and decided to call her later on at night, when he was sure she would be available. He turned the corner, running a hand on the brick wall beside him. Dustin came to an abrupt halt. A single dagger had plunged into the ground before him, a few inches of where his foot was about to land. Dustin back away slightly, face twisted in confusion and shock.

" Hey there Romeo!" A cocky voice rung out from above Dustin who tilted his head, only to have another dagger slice his cheek. Dustin's face grew alert and fearful. His feet maneuvered him back wards, against a truck.

" Huh. . .I didn't know my pretty kitty dated such weaklings." The voice jeered but didn't deter Dustin's fear. A green blur shot from above a street light, landing in front of where the dagger had landed on the ground. Dustin watched a pale hand pull out the long blade easily and soon stared into sinister, golden eyes. It was an older male with freakishly long ears and a very intimidating presence.

" Hello there. . ." The male smiled.

" You must be Dustin?"Dustin didn't respond and instead swiveled around the truck and sprinted the other direction. The green haired male immediately appeared in front of him.

" Did you just. . .teleport?!" Dustin meekly whimpered.

" Well, you're quiet observant." He replied sarcastically. " But I'm afraid such an _intelligent _mind has to go to waste.

_' Did he just call me dumb?' _Dustin thought. He was caught off guard and in the midst of shock hadn't even caught on that the male was going to kill him. The green haired teen held out his daggers threateningly.

" Don't worry. . .I'll put your grave directly next to Mew Brownies." Kisshu snarled.

He reeled back.

" Woh! What have I done to you?" Dustin grimaced.

" Now, don't take it personal." The golden eyed male shrugged. " It was bound to happen sooner or later."

He swung foreword and cutting Dustin's arm. Dustin grunted and held the wound, blood trickling through his shaking fingers. The green haired teen cackled, golden eyes widening in craze. The blade was directly above Dustin's forehead, prepared to crack the blonde's head open if it wasn't for a dark yellow streak of energy knocking the older teen to the side. Dustin slowly dropped to the ground; the blood loss getting to his head. The world shifted and blended into a blur as he felt his body collide with the warm asphalt below him. He could practically feel a thick oozing liquid form a puddle around him.

" What the hell?" Kisshu growled. He dangerously jumped back onto his feet and glared at the ball of yellow energy land in front of Dustin.

" And who exactly are you suppose to be?" Voice slightly disappointed at the yellow (not Pink, unfortunately) mew before him. She was petite, and very tan with a slick brown bob. Her dark round eyes looked confused.

" Um. . . What now. . ." She murmured to herself, staring in thought at her yellow ballet 's face fell blank; eyes bored and mouth in a slight pout. He sighed.

" I'm guessing you're new. . ." He monotonously said, hand on hip and the other loosely holding the dagger.

" New? Yeah. . .I'm new. . ." She blinked a couple of times. " New for. . .?"

" Let me just end your struggle now," Kisshu exhaled. " before your brain explodes."

" Hey!" The girls voice rose a few octaves. " I don't know who you think you are but you need to stop being a. . .a. . .a."

" A. . .?" Kisshu rolled his eyes.

" A. . .meany butt face!" The little girl shrieked, pointing a bare finger at him.

" How hold are you? Seven?" Kisshu analyzed her with passive eyes. " Eight?"

" I'm 13!" She fumed.

" 13?" He looked taken back, sizing her up once more. " A bit vertically challenged for a 13 year old don't you think?"

" AM NOT!"

" . . .and under developed. . ." He mumbled under his breath. " So what weird name do you have?"

" Name?"

" Yeah." He inspected her yellow clad outfit with mild interest. " Mew banana? Mew pear? Mew gumball?"

" Uh. . ." The little mew pondered. After a few seconds her face lit up. " No! I'm Mew sugar!"

" Sugar. . .how _cute_." Kisshu dead panned. " Look mew. . .sugar, why don't you call over your pretty kitty friend. You know, the one in pink."

Mew sugar puckered her lips. " Uh. . No. . .no, I don't know."

" Of course you don't." Voice lost of it's usual tease, Kisshu got his blade's in position to attack. " Just stand still."

He shot foreword once more, arm extended to the young girls helpless face. Throwing his arm back, prepared to rip the girls face in half, Kisshu once again got knocked away by a streak of energy. He stood up, face contorted with anger.

" How dare you attack an innocent boy and a defenseless young mew!" Mew Blueberry appeared, hands on her hips in a regal manner. " As earths protector I will punish you!"

" Trying to play leader, little birdie?" Kisshu sneered.

" I _am _the leader!" Crystal glowered, summoning her weapon.

" Right." Kisshu smirked, dashing foreword. His dagger almost pierced through Crystal's gut if the music of her flute hadn't of thrown him back. Kisshu appeared stunned as Crystal gave him an arrogant look.

" I'll admit you caught me off guard. . ." He grinned childishly, then swung at her leg. Crystal hopped back and her playing became faster and stronger. Mew sugar watched amazed with wide eyes.

" Mew sugar, take Dustin to Café Mew Mew." Her lips momentarily pulled off the flute.

" Where the heck's Café Mew Mew?!"

" The Plaza across from the movie theatre. I can't hold him back for long, so hurry up!"

" But that's like a three hour walk from here!!!" Mew sugar moaned but lifted Dustin anyways when Mew Blueberry turned her attention to the psycho alien.

" Come on Dustin." Mew sugar grunted as she began dragging him and Kisshu exchanged kicks, blows and bruises for a few more minutes but once Mew Sugar was out of earshot, Mew Blueberry spoke up.

" Wait!" She held out her hands defensively. " I have a proposition for you!"

" A proposition?"

" I know a way that you can get Saline."

" Oh really? Do you now?"

" Yes and I can guarantee when my plan follows through, she'll come groveling to you."

Kisshu raised an eyebrow as Crystal smirked.

" Well then, birdie, enlighten me."

**333**

Wow, I haven't updated since August of last year. Geez, I was about to cry. I promise (yes I've said this countless times before) to try to update a lot. I've got my priorities straight this summer and I'm going to be very organized. Hopefully I can finish this story before school starts because then I REALLY can't update. I'll be a freshmen next year and I'm going to the IB program so there goes my free time down the drain. And I promise I'll fix the other chapters because believe me, I know they suck greatly.I'm just happy to be back right now and hope my past readers haven't given up on me =]. So I hope you've enjoyed and please review.

oh btw the song Crytsal sings. . .er shrieks is Colorful Cloths by Lil'Wayne.


	9. The plan is set and the game is ready

**Melody Mew MewsChapter 9**

**The scheme is set and the game is ready**

" How'd this happen?" Marissa inquired, huddled around the small bed along with the rest of her comrades; minus Saline and Crystal.

" I told you! It was this elf-dude!" Erin wailed, shaking her arms in an exaggerated gesture. Angelica sighed and shook her head, pulling the younger girl out of the room and into the kitchen for a cup of water. Sweating puddles and throat dry, Erin complied without a hint of defiance and exhaustedly dragged her aching feet down the stairs.

Keiichiro put away his antiseptic and role of bandage into a small, leather bag and neatly placed it against the wall. Clearing his voice a bit, he smoothed over the blankets atop Dustin's sleeping form.

" He, as well as we, are lucky Kisshu only struck him in the arm." Keiichiro sighed, folding his hands neatly on his lap. " The cut is very deep though and he lost quite a bit of blood, which resulted in a high fever."

" How are we going to explain this to him?" Taking a seat, Cassidy rested her forehead in her hand. She was nervous and frightened, not realizing that someone she knew who had nothing to do with the mew project could get injured.

" I've taken up a part time job at the hospital, for situations like these." Keiichiro explained, signaling Ryou to hand him his cell phone. " We'll take him there and then inform his parents. We'll say that I found him and that some thug must've tried to mug him."

" But it wasn't some thug! It was Kisshu!" Cassidy raised her voice slightly.

" And according to Erin, Dustin saw Kisshu and her before he passed out." Added Marissa, silently thinking over a cover up.

" Ah, but a smart boy like Dustin would tell anyone that an alien tried to kill him." Keiichiro slightly chuckled, rubbing the back of his head in amusement. " Everyone would think he's crazy, which is another advantage we have."

" I guess." Marissa feebly voiced, exchanging a look with Cassidy.

" On the bright side, you girls have found a new comrade." The cool and subtle voice that had prolonged a deafening silence broke through the air. Ryou turned to them with an unattached gaze and crossed arms. Marissa and Cassidy averted their eyes and Keiichiro smiled back at the platinum haired teen. Ryou turned his back once more and pondered.

" Isn't he Saline's. . . boyfriend?"

" Uh, yeah. . .kind of."" I see."

A moment of silence settled over the room like a thick, heavy blanket. The two mews were practically suffocating but instantly relieved when Keiichiro spoke again." Well then," He began, standing up. " Let's go down to the kitchen for some cake, girls, and I'll make the phone call to the hospital."

Marissa and Cassidy nodded in unison, ducking out of the room immediately. Pausing in front of the door, Keiichiro turned back to Ryou who currently was occupied in front of the window.

" Ryou," Ryou turned to Keiichiro. " Play nice."

The door closed; Keiichiro not even patient for an answer. Ryou scoffed and ran a hand trough his locks, turning to the unconscious boy on the bed. Smirking, Ryou leaned onto the bed and over Dustin.

" Let's have a little chat." His voice came off as a soft, cold coo and despite being unconscious, Ryou was certain Dustin would here every bit of what he had to say.

**333**

Crystal took off into the air, silently giggling to herself. Her plan was utterly brilliant and flawless; polished and revised to the point of perfection. She had to admit, she was slightly intimidated when confessing her plan to Kisshu but much to her surprise, he had complied quite reasonably. None of the others would know what hit them and Crystal would come in and pick up the pieces. And Saline would benefit from everything greatly as well; Crystal knew of Saline's ambition to get into an Ivy league college and being kicked off the mew mew team she would have more time to study. Crystal was being a good friend. . .she really was. She could take over as the leader and take the team onto a higher level that Saline could never. Smiling blissfully, she twirled in the sky and enjoyed the feeling of the wind glide across her body.

" _A degree in psychology but a full time actress, you think I can make it?"_

" Of course you can Saline. . ." Crystal purred. " . . .just as soon as your kicked off the team."

_Perfect. . .we'll succeed._

Crystal halted, practically dropping out of the sky. The voice. . .the voice she had heard in her bedroom. A chill over took her body; the tip of his words like ice and voice so painstakingly inhuman. Crystal shuddered. It had to be her voice, who else's would it be? But since when did she refer to herself in plural? Crystal gritted her teeth and shook her hair to throw off some tension. The stress was getting to her, yes, that must've been it. She continued to float across the sky, heading toward the plaza where Café Mew Mew was. Her plan was proceeding perfectly, so their wasn't any need to worry but still a deep, wrenching pain had settled in the middle of her chest. Several memories crossed her mind; sitting in the park with Marissa and Saline, the three girls splashing each other in a pool, a birthday party, movies, roller coaster rides, taking silly pictures for Myspace. And as those memories registered in her mind, Crystal began to wonder why she had hatched up such a scheme in the first place and where all of her unneeded anger had derived from.

_Because you were always in the shadow's darling._

" No, I wasn't. Never. Not once."

_It's your turn to have the spotlight._

" I have so many friends and we always have fun, my grades are good." Crystal blurted out. " What else do I need."

_. . .for them to suffer._

" What? No." Crystal whined, hands gripping the sides of her dress as she forced herself to fly faster.

_Yes. . .it's your objective. _

" Get out of my head!" She was wrong; It wasn't her that was talking.

_Listen to me. Obey me._

" Stop talking to me!" Swooping down onto the Café roof top, she banged her fists on her knees. " I don't want to listen to you."

_Obey me. _

The voice repeated, booming through her head and initiating a migraine. Crystal moaned and sat down. The rich and cultured voice was too empowering and as hard as she tried to defy it, the more her head throbbed.

_Obey ME._

" You." Crystal whimpered, slightly nodding.

_Do as I say._

Crystal hopped off the ledge, landing safely in front of the café doors. As a bright light lavished her body, Crystal felt her cloths revert back to their original form. She sighed and continued her way toward the café entrance, a smile plastered on her face and intent on initiating her plan.

**I suck, I know but my laptop broke twice this summer. Other wise I would've been writing like crazy. I'm not going to make promise's to update anymore because obviously it doesnt turn out the way I plan. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, Can you guess you the voice is? :D**


	10. Kisshu can be a nice guy too

**Melody Mew Mews **

**Chapter 10**

**Kisshu can be a nice guy too.**

" Saline, the most horrible thing just happened!" Saline, who had just strolled through the Café doors, was thrown off balance by Crystal's wail. Gripping the edge of one of the many glittering white tables of the Café, she managed to keep from falling over.

" You don't say?" the tired brunette replied, disinterested and slightly irritated at Crystals boisterous behavior. The was worry in Crystals tone but Saline could feel the excitement savagely radiating from her shorter friend.

Crystal nodded, lips twitching to conceal her hidden smile behind a tormented façade and continued exactly what she had rehearsed in the Café bathroom mirror for the past hour before Saline had arrived.

" Piggie!" Erin, who had just exited the kitchen, squealed while leaping across the room to where Saline and Crystal were standing. Cutting Crystal off, Erin glued herself onto Saline much to Crystals anger. Partially shocked, Saline remained in Erin's death until Cassidy, upon hearing the commotion, rushed into the room to peel Erin off.

" Oh, uh, Saline!" Cassidy exclaimed. Her hazel eyes darted from Saline, to Crystal and then toward Marissa and Angelica emerging from the kitchen.

Smoothing out the wrinkles in her V-neck, Saline gave an inquisitive look to Crystal and slightly motioned her head toward Erin. Before Crystal could respond, Angelica jumped right in having seen Saline's motion.

" The latest member of the team!" Erin beamed as Angelica pet her light brown hair.

" And my pretty princess name is Sugar!" The tiny girl jolted, causing Angelica to retract her hand swiftly.

" Pretty princess?. . .oh! You mean mew mew name." Saline tilted her head to the side in confusion.

" Nooooo! I _mean _pretty princess name!" Erin pouted, folding her thin arms stubbornly across her chest.

" Right. . ." Saline smiled ackwardly and nodded, fully used to Erin's childish antics.

Crystal scowled, teeth clenched in anger at what she considered stalling on her friends behalf. Roughly

Pushing Erin aside, Crystal resumed her place in front of Saline.

" HEY!" Erin wailed, glaring with a flared temper.

" Dustin got attacked by Kisshu!"

" What?!"

" Yeah we found him bleeding on the street!"

" Oh My God!" Saline frantically stuttered and squeezed arm with one hand. " What do mean he got attacked? H-how?-wha-? WHEN? Why aren't you saying anything?!"

" Because you're AMPUTATING my arm!" Crystal struggled to pull her arm away as Cassidy snorted along with Angelica. Saline let go, clearly not amused and sunk into a chair.

" It's okay, he's at the hospital now." Marissa reassured. " He only got some stitches on his arm, otherwise he's completely okay."

" Oh no." Saline whimpered in her hands.

" Honestly, he's going to be alright."

" God. . ."

" Saline! It's going to be okay!"

" NO! No it's not!" Saline growled making the other five flinch. " Kisshu saw us together and that's why he attacked him! Because of me!"

Crystal frowned and patted Saline's back.

" Calm down." She urged quietly.

" Dustin isn't even a part of all this! He doesn't deserve to be attacked by some psychopath!" Cassidy opened her mouth to speak but Saline continued to yell. " We're sworn to protect the people of the world from harm. We all are a part of this so no one else has to be! So no one else gets hurt!"

" That's right." Marissa solemnly nodded her head in agreement.

" So how. . ." Saline sighed, gaining her composure. " How do we fulfill that commitment if the people around us are harmed anyways?"

No one answered.

" First it's out friends. . .then mothers, fathers and baby siblings." She clenched her fists, feeling her palm pressed against her nails. " Nothing will keep them from attacking those closest to us. So how do we protect them?"

Crystal cringed as a lump formed in her throat. Cheeks flaring and mouth dry she felt her eyes glisten and reality hit her.

" I don't want to do this." Crystal mumbled. The others turned to look at her.

" None of us do." Cassidy whispered, unaware of the true intent of Crystals words.

' _Why darling, you have no choice.'_

Crystal shook her head softly.

' _The plan is going more smoothly then I imagined.'_

Nibbling on her lower lip she felt her foot tap without her consent. Caramel colored eyes popped open; her foot wouldn't stop. She wasn't the one moving it.

' _You're not in control any more.'_

The effeminate voice cackled cruelly in the depths of her mind. Crystal shivered, wrapping her arms around herself .

" You should go see him. . .at the hospital." Crystal muttered.

". . .Right. . . now?" She raised her eyebrow in consideration. " What if his parents are there. . .that'll be awkward."

" Say that you're a friend."

" Uh. . .I don't know. I want to see him but . . .maybe, sure."

" I'll come with you!" Erin volunteered, jumping so fast that her chair fell over.

" Nah, it's okay." Saline shrugged. "You guys go home, it's getting late. Besides, I told my parents that I might be going to the movies with Chris and Gigi tonight, so they wont get worried if they call home and I'm not there."

" But. . .the hospitals far away and it's getting really dark outside." Cassidy cast a wary glance outside. " You _should _use the buddy system."

Saline snorted.

" Bye you guys."

**333**

After getting lost a few times in the various hallways, buildings and doors, Saline cautiously walked into the main entrance of the Tampa Genral hospital which she had found just a few seconds earlier. The inside was completely white and filled with tired and sickly people and patients. She slowly walked pass the gray cushioned chairs and small black television screens decorating the interior white like dark stains. Making her way pass an elderly woman asleep in a wheel chair, a middle aged man with bags under her eyes and a younger lady rocking back and forth in her seat, she finally made it to the counter where a plump elder woman was busily looking through manila folders.

" Uh. . .I'm here to visit a patient?"

The lady looked up after a moment, her dull blue eyes boring into Saline's chocolate ones, intimidating her a bit.

" And what do you need?"

". . .to know where he is. . .?"

The lady sighed and began to hit several keys on her keyboard.

" Floor?"

" I don't know. . ."

" Name?"

" Dustin Spencer."

" Are you his sister?"

". . .No, I'm his friend. . ."

" You can't visit this late without an adult, sorry hun."  
" Oh. . .alright. Thank you." She began to walk away but stopped abruptly and turned her heel.

" Can I visit him tomorrow?"

" Yeah."

". . . Can I send him flowers?"

The lady looked up and stared for a while.

" **Yes**."

" Alright, so which floor is he on?"

The woman sighed and rolled her eyes, sneaking Saline a look or two.

"Ah, here. Floor 6."

" Which room is he staying in?"

" You can ask tomorrow when you visit."

Saline pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at the woman.

" Sure, thanks."

Walking out of the building, she took a sharp turn to the right and went around the building to find another entrance.

" There has to be another way in." she mumbled to herself, breaking out into a slight jog. She snuck in through a vacant door while another couple walked out trying to appear as casual as possible.

" Where the hell are the elevators?"

" They're around the next two hallways."

Saline swiveled around and jumped back, letting out a yelp.

" Kisshu!"

" I thought we were past the first name bases, _honey_." Kisshu gave a sly smile and pushed her roughly against the wall. Saline struggled but made a mental not of how strong Kisshu was despite his lean body.

" You do know that talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity?"

" You would know!"

" I'm not insane, only crazy for you."

" Ugh!"

Kisshu snickered and moved in closer causing Saline to squirm awkwardly and shrink into the wall behind her.

" First you attack Dustin and now you're stalking him?" Saline hissed, trying to pull her wrists out of Kisshu's hands.

" Why would I stalk him?" Kisshu cackled. " He's pathetic! Did you not know that he was a pansy or are you just into guys like that?"

" Just because Dustin isn't some creep who carries around daggers doesn't mean he's weak!"

" Doesn't mean he's strong either." He grinned, pulling Saline's chin harshly towards him. " One cut on the arm and he fainted."

" Of blood loss!"

" Shut up." Moving in he caught her lips with his and continued to pin her to the wall. Running a pallid hand through her curls he brushed the knuckles of his other hand against her cheek and to her hip. Pulling away he smirked evilly at her. Mouth slightly gaping and eyes wide, Saline felt her cheeks warm and averted her eyes from his.

" I'm not such a bad guy, you know." Kisshu cooed into her ear. " If you want me to not hurt your friends anymore then all you have to do is be mine."

" I think I can manage, thank you." she mumbled, face red but expression slightly scowling.

" Well then please except my gift."

" Gift?" Saline looked up in surprise and soon heard various moans through the hallways.

Kisshu snickered and moved back, placing his hands on his hips. " Bye kitty."

Saline looked around, the moans began to sound closer. She reached in her pocket for her pendant and slightly shook. She hated hospitals; the feeling of death it held was overwhelming and how quiet they really were was intimidating.

" What?!" Saline fished around in her pocket again, and then switched to the other ones. Nothing. She felt around in her back pockets and even looked in her shoes. " No!"

The light above her head slightly flickered off and back on, and in an instant the other lights fallowed in suit. The hallway was now dimly lit and offered only a thin source of light. Saline gulped in fear, the slow, dragging foot steps and low moans so close that she could practically feel fingers on her arms.

' _Just what kind of Chimera anima did Kisshu create?!"_

Turning left and right, squinting her eyes and catching a glimpse of white dresses and green pants she saw the dozens of moving figures. Breath hitched in her throat and body stiff, Saline managed to let out a scream.

" ZOMBIES!!!!!"

**Haha, second chapter this week. Wrote it in two hours. Yikes, I gotta get faster at writing. **


	11. To Avoid the Inevitable

**Melody Mew Mews**

**Chapter 11**

**To Avoid the Inevitable **

To her, the sky would always remain a black, endless abyss; bright stars were always blanketed by a thick veil of storm clouds and pelting rain, or perhaps it was her vision, Cassidy could never tell. Eyes droopy and very much exhausted, she stared outside her living room window in mild interest. It was a lazy night for the Kalmensons family and Cassidy was making as much as she could of it. Television occupied by her elder sister and laptop snatched by her dad as punishment for her arriving home late from the cafe, she found an odd sense of calm in watching the tree's whiplash their branches and street over run by perpetual darkness. Time always felt inevitable and constantly their were things to get done, responsibilities to uphold. Staring out the window made her feel absent of any duties; it made her feel like a leaf slowly twisting off the tip of a branch. And for a moment, everything was calm, their was no anxiety clinging to the center of her chest. At this thought, her mind drifted to her science homework waiting idly on her bed upstairs but she ignored the impulse to tend to it. Homework was so troublesome and disrupted many of her relaxed nights; she finally settled on setting her alarm clock to an earlier time in the morning to complete it.

Cassidy sniffed the air; a heavy scent had snaked from the kitchen over to her half of the living room. She wafted the air and picked up chicken with the faintest hint of lemon pepper; give it up to her doggy half to notice such detail from a simple sniff. Rising weakly off the cushioned wooden chair, the now brown eyed teen lumbered into the dining room, intent at being the first to get a nice large piece of chicken; again, give it up to her doggy half. She slumped into a chair, back turned to her frantic mother who had once again forgotten to check on the soup. The thick liquid sputtered onto the top of the white oven, whistling and screeching as it did so. Cassidy just winced at the shrill noise and plugged her ears with her two fingers.

Soon everyone was perched around the table and the only noise was the scraping of forks against plates and salt shaker violently juddered up and down. The lively and warm conversation that usually settled upon the kimonos family during suppertime had been seemingly avoided.

" So, is Ash coming back anytime soon?" Cassidy interjected the thick silence. Her mother continued to chew her food regularly and took a gulp of water.

" We don't know." Mrs. Kalmenson, eyes unmoving, proceeded to grab at the salad bowl and refill her plate.

" So she's just going to stay with David?" Cassidy sighed, pushing her mash potatoes around with the tip of her fork. Ashley , or Ash, was Cassidy's older sister and the second eldest child of Kathy and Dean Kalmenson. Seventeen years old and pregnant, she was staying with her boyfriend after a heated argument with her parents.

" That's what she wants." Her father grumbled. ". . .Raised her better than that."

Cassidy lowered her eyes, suddenly finding her shiny fork particularly interesting.

" Well she wants to keep the baby." Her mothers words came out bitter. " Let's see how that works out for her."

Jenna, Cassidy's 20 year old sister, exchanged a look with her pretty younger counter part. Rolling her eyes wearily, Cassidy stuffed her mouth with a few green peas and slowly chewed. Suddenly she felt her cell phone vibrate in her pant pocket and silently pulled it out. The periwinkle razor smoothly flipped with a click and alerted her of a new text message.

" **Help. Zombie chimera anima. Kisshu's a bastard. Hospital."  
**

Cassidy quirked an eyebrow in interest. Zombies?

" Oh, Shit." Cassidy muttered.

" Cassidy Rae Kalmenson." Her Mother shot though not as strictly as she probably should have.

" What?. . ." She widened her eyes. " I didn't say anything."

Now her it was her mothers turn to roll her eyes.

" Raised _you _better than that too." Her father chided, but his eyes slightly crinkled in amusement.

" I'm full, so I'm going to bed now." Cassidy rubbed her eyes to emphasize her point dramatically.

" Thanks mom."

Her mother nodded in reply as Cassidy slipped out the dining area and past her room.

Kisshu's a bastard? So she's heard. Maybe now she'll get to meet the infamous alien once and for all.


	12. Borderline Savage

**Melody Mew Mews**

**Chapter 12**

**Borderline Savage**

Somewhere in the room there was water running. No, not running exactly; a faucets had not been shut off properly. So the water plopped, one by one, stubbornly refusing to dry up. The air cringed at the noise and disrupted the silence of the Hospital with an obnoxious cry.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Each time Saline cringed and each time her heart skipped a beat, halfway skidding out of her chest and out of the hospital.

Was it a door? Or the faucet?

Was it a foot step? Or the faucet?

Was it a snarl? Or the faucet?

And in the midst of the painstaking anxiety provided mercilessly by the defected sink, Saline kept from tearing off her hair by pursuing trivial thoughts as she hid under a blanketed table just behind an idle hospital bed. The thought preoccupying her at the moment; Kisshu needed to die. . .and he also needed to take the faucet with him. Not only would she skin his lips but tear his spine out and choke him with it. She would take his lovely little daggers and cut him into chunks to feed to his unsuspecting comrades. She would use the left over's as fertilizer.

Not only did she resent feeling like a marshmallow and hiding under a table to cower in fear but she also resented the near heart attacks he had provided her as she was pathetically trying to find a place to hide. Taking away her pendant and there for her only source of power, she had to practically rip herself away from a horde of zombies, and not just any zombies, but brain eating ones, the kinds you find in cliché apocalyptic films. For that Saline cursed the bastard with all her fiber being.

She had ran as if Satan himself were on her heels and received scratches and a fractured wrist as the rotting, walking flesh grabbed at her for nutrients. Soon after she ducked into an elevator to have it break down; proceeding a few moments of silence were the sounds of bodies jumping on top of the contraption, just above saline's head. They madly clawed at the top of the elevator, attempting to find the emergency exit or in their case, entrance. With a boost of adrenaline and wild shrieking, she had pried the doors open in the knick of time and inhumanly squeezed out through the tiny crack.

Then she began to run, legs practically kicking air to speed foreword and soon after she had thought she found a vacant room to barricade herself in. But as soon as she calmed herself and fell into the blissful lulling of safety, the darkness parted to have an old man, neck cracked and bent at an unnatural angle, crawling backwards crab style towards her.

Saline had no idea she could scream the way that she had then; quite frankly she had no idea that anything earthly could produce such a noise from the depths of their throats and vocal cords. If she had to recall it though, it could have been the sound of a persons throat splitting in half and crackling profusely along with an undertone of a high pitched squeal only a cat, or a starving infant, could produce. She was sure that the demonic noise had caused the zombie to have an aneurism because it faltered its steps long enough to allow her to get away.

What happened next had led her to the table she was under currently and lucky for her, as soon as she had texted Cassidy for help she lost her cell phone signal. Moans, death, crying; all were outside the room she had turned into a haven. It would only be a matter of time before one of the 'undead' would break open the door and drag her out.

Now she was stuck in the situation she resented the most; being weak and in distress. She loathed the feeling of helplessness and the wait of another individual to save her. She could always save herself, never mind the circumstance but now it was simply impossible. Anger seethed from her very core as her insides shook and she denied what she knew to be a fact; right now she was useless and helpless; a damsel in distress. Pride and sense of strength down the rabbit hole to oblivion, she knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself if she began to cry.

Perhaps, she thought, this is what he wanted. Perhaps he wanted to degrade her, strip her of every level of self reliance and confidence she had until she was a frail shell of infirmity. He wanted to steal her vitality, her ability to just _try_; to simply attempt to save herself. He wanted to prove to her that under the flashy airs she withheld, the dazzling costume and over hyped attacks that she was just a meek human. He wanted to show her she was tiny compared to him and his training and talent at battle.

And now all she wanted desperately was to prove his silent judgments wrong; maybe grab a mop and force her way out. But a zombie had grabbed her earlier and his grip was so strong, so tight and firm, that she had no idea how she could fight one, forget the hundreds in the hospital. And with this thought she began to tear up; she was easily moved to tears and such a very emotional person by nature. But she refused to sob. Let him degrade her, let him show her she's physically weak, that she cannot fight him but she wont let him have the gusto of her begging. She wouldn't shed a tear at his cruelty.

A hand patted her head.

" Now, now kitty. . .don't cry." For perhaps the thousandth time he smirked at her.

" I'm not." She let out firmly, looking up at him with dry eyes.

" No. . ." Kisshu chuckled. " I guess you're not."

He continued to pet her head, and murmur into her ear provocatively. He spoke of his wanting, his twisted need for her but how weak she had proven herself to be and therefore how unworthy.

" You can't fix it now, my love." Her admired her face once more with a warm palm. " You're just not worth it. . .there truly is no need to convince you to join us any more."

" I don't want to join you. . .I don't feel the need to prove to you my worth."

" Because you have none." Something clutched the inside of her chest and pulled savagely; so tightly and monstrously that bile rose up her throat.

" Look, you've hurt your wrist. . ." He held her arm rather gently and inspected it. " You're perfect no more. Broken."

She lunged at him, hands clawing wildly before her but all she caught was the thick, bitter air. Struggling, she scrabbled the floor trying to find where his face once was but all she had accomplished was ripping her nails off till the point of blood seeping out from her nail beds. She hissed and fell to her side, clutching both hands against her chest. The pain began to swell into a dull sting and then subsided into a throbbing. Gently she rolled onto her knees and picked herself up, glancing around the small room as she swiveled on her heels.

He wasn't there.

He was never there in the first place.

Saline laughed with no humor in her voice. " You're going crazy. . ."

She walked over to the bathroom and slipped inside, finding the mirror to her left. She peered at the lackluster which had enveloped herself . Her hair was frizzed, the candy curls more voluminous than normal and sticking out from the tops. Her face was glistening, a degusting combination of dirt and sweat acted as a protective layer on her skin. She turned on the sink and washed her face, desperately using hand soap to scrub away at the grit and soil, fingers stinging even more with the action. She ran her wet fingers through her hair as an act of taming her wild coils.

Though now content with her face and hair, Saline was displeased to find her black shirt caked with soil and blood along with her khaki shorts. She cringed, her cloths clung to her skin by the sweat of her body. How long had she been wearing these cloths? Since Kisshu chased her down the streets, and then she had fainted, and then went to find another mew, then returned to the café and now she was here.

" Gross." She spat at her reflection and the knowledge that a long hot shower with plenty of antibacterial soap was needed greatly.

There wasn't much she could do about anything now; the zombies outside were mutated patients and hurting them would be unfair but then again. . .she had spotted an emergency ax in one of the hallways.

" Maybe I could get to it. . ." She discussed with her own reflection. " I could crawl through the vents?"

The girl in front of her looked doubtful.

" Right, the openings are to small, I won't fit."

She backed out of the bathroom and shut the door slowly; she had a phobia against open bathroom doors or any open doors to rooms no one occupied.

She poked around the unoccupied cart she had been to afraid to notice before. On it were some towels ( which she made use of by wiping her wet face and bleeding hands), plastic cups, capped syringe needles and a small incision blade barely big enough to fit into her hand. She pocketed the blade and syringe needles and also grabbed a small vase full of flowers, dumping the plants and holding the vase itself as a club. She wasn't going to be able to fight off a horde of flesh eating corpses with these mere instruments but they could hopefully keep her alive long enough to find a fire extinguisher or an emergency ax; something heavy and easy to wield.

She walked swiftly to the door, legs jittery with panic and a sudden overwhelming rush of excitement. Opening the door slowly, quietly, she peered down the hallway on both sides and slid out into the open.

They were there.

She could hear their voices speaking in the guttural, mumbling language she couldn't understand. She tip toed quickly past the occupied rooms and turned a corner sharply. Ridged arms grabbed her from behind and in an act of self defense she couldn't help but scream and stick a syringe through her capturers eye. The molting nurse groaned with a slacken jaw and clutched her eye as she fell to the ground. Saline raced down the hallway, grabbing a vacant cart and ramming it into the barrier of doctors attempting to catch her. They toppled and fell, body parts flying off of weak joints and sockets. Saline looked back in horror. What would become of the people once they returned back to normal?

Busting through a door, she jumped flights of stair to a random floor and rushed through its halls to find her objective. A zombie jumped ahead of her and another grabbed her from behind. It moist tongue slobbered against her ear as the other grabbed the sides of her stomach. She bit her lip to keep her cry smothered in her throat. A syringe made its way from her pocket into one zombies leg but besides a moan of discomfort he didn't budge. She kicked the one in front of her in the gut and sunk her teeth into the arms of the corpse holding her. She gagged at the rotted flesh and flaking skin in her mouth but tore with her teeth as he cried in a muffled pain. Grabbing the knife from her pocket she swiped at the one she had kicked and mistakenly left the blade in his chest as she ran. They snarled behind her.

She spat while running, stomach churning at the rotten taste in her mouth. She paused to upchuck the remains of her breakfast, the only meal she had had, and slightly shuddered. Looking up, her eyes brightened. A perfect, glossy ax was contained in a glass box mounted onto the wall and without another thought she tugged a nurse zombie who was about to make a grab at her and used her head to smash through the glass. Ignoring the blood on her hands and the agonizing knawing that was trying to liven her senses to the animalistic state she was in, she pulled out the weapon and confidently stalked down the hallway.

She knew that if she escaped she wouldn't be able to live with herself. A broken head, punctured eye, gashed chest and a chunk of meat torn off a mans arm; none of which caused by the enemy, the aliens, but by her, the protector of the people she had just ravaged. But she was no saint, that was certain, and the will and desire to stay alive had lit inside of her like a flame.

She wouldn't die at the mercy of monsters written out of a horror tale.

She wouldn't die in Kisshu's hands.

**A/N: I was going to put a warning before the chapter started, something along the lines of 'Warning: zombie gore, lack of humanity and the breaking point of a character' but then I thought, 'Nah, what's the point of ruining it?'.**

**At first when I wrote this chapter I wasn't going to post it, I just thought that it was to dark and to devoid of the warm essence Tokyo Mew Mew was suppose to have. But I put it up anyways because first of all I have never had as much fun as I did writing this chapter than anything else I've written for this story (perhaps I should just stick with a horror genre :P). For the first time I sat and enjoyed thinking of what I could do next and revising my words to what I felt expressed my meaning. Second, this story, though initially was suppose to be a fun, humorous and slightly romantic fan fiction, was one I wanted to incorporate a more deeper level than I saw in Tokyo Mew Mew. I wanted to explore the dangers of fighting chimera anima, of the fear that most people would feel in situations like these and emotional roller coaster one might go on balancing school, extracurricular activities, homework and saving the world. Personally, I know I would go insane with so much responsibility and I wanted to depict that in this chapter, where Saline is almost at the brink of a dangerous and murderous breakage of mentality. **

**No, this story is not going to turn into an angst filled void of psychopathic desperation, misery and trauma. It's going to remain light hearted, humorous and fun but now and again there will be a point where no birds sing in the sky and the sun doesn't come up bright and happy.**

**So I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review ****J****.**


	13. Something Out of Thriller

**Melody Mew Mews**

**Chapter 13**

**Something Out of Thriller**

" UGH!" Cassidy shrieked, and another flailing corpse tumbled onto the ground with a gut wrenching grunt. She hobbled into the wall and after maintaining a steady grip, she bolted forewords in an effort to escape the hordes of zombies. She had long transformed into Mew Papaya, and whilst slipping into the strangely dark hospital, she had been mauled thrice in only a matter of minutes. Her fingers clutched the neck of her wooden guitar and her lips tugged downwards into a snarl.

" Great weapon, Ryou." Cassidy muttered darkly. " A freaking lime green guitar is going to fend off a horde of zombies. . .genius, just freaking genius."

Her peripheral vision caught a faint flicker of a shadow from her left and she reeled to the side. A rotting nurse threw herself in Cassidy's direction, jaws snapping at the brunettes nose. Cassidy shrieked once more, swinging the guitar and throwing the nurse onto the cold tile. The corpse clicked her tongue and squirmed on her back, nails clawing at Cassidy. The brunette raised her guitar over her head and with clenched eyes and hitched breath, she repeatedly bashed in the nurse's head. She backed away, red fluid seeping towards her boots.

" Ugh," Her lip quivered in disgust. " That's damn nasty."

Holding her guitar up defensively, she inched foreword and soon heard the faintest tapping of shoes against the floor. Her shoulders tightened up in panic, and she raised her weapon higher with swifter steps. Reaching the corner she swung, and was met by a loud clanging noise. Her guitar had hit a slight glimmering of metal and the guttural scream of a female.

Cassidy screamed as well, her voice high pitched and wavering; opposite of the battle hungry person in front of her. Cassidy swung once more, advancing on the stranger who blocked her attack easily and was kicked under the rib cage. Coughing, and breath forced out of her mouth, the green eyed girl hit the wall behind her. Her guitar was suddenly light and she knew at once the base had been smashed off. Something struck the wall beside her head, and turning to look she felt her hair being tugged. It was an ax, and her hair had been caught beneath it. The owner retracted the weapon, and slivers of Cassidy's hair fluttered onto the ground as she cried out.

" Cassidy?" The ax had lowered. " Cassidy? Oh my God, is that you?!"

Cassidy glanced up, her wailing caught in her throat, and saw her coiled haired friend staring down at her, trembling.

" Saline?" Her voice came out in a pathetic squeak. " Selin?!"

" I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" Saline bent down and came to eye level with her friend.

" Am I alright? HELL NO!" Cassidy's hands clung to her hair, pulling. " You almost KILLED me!"

" I'm sorry! I though you were a monster!" Saline's eyes widened. " I'm so sorry!"

" God! You CRAZY bitch!"

Saline shook her head, muttering apologies. Her shoulders shook as she did so, and Cassidy didn't catch the droplets of water dripping onto the ground at first.

" Give me a moment, let me take in the fact that I'm still alive." Cassidy sneered, resting against the wall. Her breaths coming out heavy and short.

" I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry!"

" Okay, okay. . .I get it!" She sighed, wiping her forehead with her hand.

Saline, shook her head even more, shoulders shuddering spastically. Cassidy leaned foreword.

" Saline. . .?" Her voice came out barely audible. " Saline. . .?"

Then a choked cry came out, and she began shaking more fervently.

" Saline. . .are you crying?" Cassidy couldn't help but ask, eyebrows knit in concern. " Saline. . .what happened?"

" I just want to leave. . .I want to go home." A pitiful sob came from her, as she finally lifted her arms up to shield her teary face. " I don't want to be here."

" Okay, calm down, we're going to go home, okay?" She urged, trying to calm her leader down.

" You don't understand. . ." Saline sobbed, voice dripping with a deep hallow. " You don't understand. . ."

" Understand what?" She urged.

" You don't understand. . .I killed people. . ." Struggling to muffle her cries, Saline bit into her arm.

" You what?!"

A nod.

" How? God, Saline! Why?"

" The zombies. . .they were attacking me!"

" Wait, those aren't chimera anima?"

Saline paused, lower lip quivering and eyes puffy.

" They are, Chimera's made from human."

Cassidy gulped, thinking of the nurse a few halls down.

" So they're real people?. . ."

" Yes! Yes! Cassidy, they're real!"

The hospital took on an unsettling silence, and the voices of the undead could be heard from through out the building. An unfocused creaking played in the background, and Saline's sniffles provided the only closest sound.

Cassidy gulped, her stomach strangling itself.

They were real people.

" Oh, SHIT!"

Wiping her eyes, Saline looked up at her puzzled.

" Damn, oh damn. . .ugh!" She tugged on her hair once more. " I think I killed someone as well . . ."

Saline's eyes grew.

" Yeah, I thought it was a chimera anima. . ." Cassidy's eyes also began to prickle with tears. Salines arms outstretched, and grasped both of Cassidy's shoulders.

" Okay, so you killed someone, and I killed someone." Her voice continued to waver slightly, though she managed to keep it steady. " It's alright, we were just defending ourselves, right? Right. Maybe they'll be okay once Kisshu turns them back to normal, right? Right. So we just have to find Dustin and leave."

The green eyed teens head snapped up in disbelief.

" Wait, What?!?"

" I can't leave Dustin here. . ."

" Like hell you can't!"

" Cassidy, it's our responsibility to save people, and right now we have to save him."

" We _are not _risking our lives just because he's your boyfriend!"

" I know, but I'm breaking up with him after this is through. . ."

" _What_? _Breaking up_!?"

" Yes, it's the reasonable thing to do. . ."

Saline pulled Cassidy up, and down the hallway, with the ax back into the palm of her hand.

" I don't have my pendant as you can see. . .but I was thinking that we have to find Kisshu. Defeat him, and we defeat the chimera animas? I think that's how it works. He always makes his appearance during our fights, so he has to be around somewhere. . ."

" And what about Dustin?"

" I know I may be asking to much, but could you go find him?" Saline winced automatically; Cassidy's eye twitched in a bubbling anger at the demand. " Just listen, we're on the second floor and he's on the sixth. If you take the emergency stairwell, you should be able to get up there. I don't think there are any. . .zombies. . .up there but it's pretty dark. Taking the elevator isn't an option as the powers off. I don't know what room he's in, but take this. . ." Saline handed the large ax to Cassidy who marveled at it's large frame.

" What about you? You can't even transform."

" It's okay, don't worry about me. When you find Dustin, lock the door and remain with him in the room. Move some furniture if you have to, to barricade the door. If he's a zombie or you're surrounded, I want you run as fast as you can. . .if you're confident then jump out the window. . .your mew powers should grant you that privilege."

" And you? Saline, you're defenseless!"

" It's okay, really. . .You two are more important, and I'm almost positive that Kisshu will come."

" Almost positive?"

" I'm one hundred percent positive, okay? You happy?"

" This is insane."

" Just do it."

The command caught Cassidy off guard. The tears that had long turned cold, remained perched on Saline's lashes and dried on her cheeks but it seemed that the mild break down had gotten what ever it was out of her system. She lightly pushed Cassidy and ran in the opposite direction, taking the main stairs instead. Cassidy shuddered, and once again she cursed Ryou for the skimpy outfits he'd provided them all. The hospital was cold and damp, but she slowly opened the door to the emergency stair well and slipped inside, cautiously listening for distinctive grunts, groans or moans. Finding none, she carefully inched up the steps.

Meanwhile, Saline ran up the stairs as well as running into a few Chimera anima; few being an understatement. The first mob had been difficult to fight off, but she had managed, now she found herself in their grasp once more. Nails grazed her skin and hands pulled back her hair as her body squirmed against their touch. One zombie chuckled mockingly. Saline's eyed widened. A zombie chuckling?

" Look at you kitty, you've made it for this long."

Kisshu.

" Let me go, and let them go!" She yanked against them once again, eliciting another chuckle from the golden eyed alien.

" Now why would I do that?" He stalked closer, hand slipping under her chin. " Look at me kitty, look."

She glared up at him, but silently a strange relief had overtaken her.

" Do you finally see what I'm capable of? A weak human boy looks pathetic in comparison, does he not?"  
A smirk flashed on his pale face, bordered by strands of emerald.

" What the hell are you trying to say?" She spat, fists clenched. " You did this just to show me how much better you were than Dustin?"

The smirk on his face faltered, and his golden irises widened in a slight fluster.

" Ha, don't flatter yourself." His smirk returned, and his body inched closer. " Though you are cute, I wouldn't go through _all _this trouble just for _you_."

" Just let them go. This is ridiculous! There are sick and elderly people here."

" Was there some point you were trying to make in that statement?"

She struggled once more, one hand breaking free from its restriction. She reached out to grab him, but he pulled back teasingly.

" Kitty, were you crying?" Amused, he cocked his head to the side.

Saline's jaw clenched, and her brown eyes narrowed at the sight of his contempt.

" You sicken me, you repulsive jerk!" Yanking side to side, the zombies strengthened their grip.

Kisshu's smirk had disappeared, and his bright eyes had in turn narrowed as well.

" I sicken you?" He chuckled with no humor on his face. " I'm repulsive? And to think, I was going to let you go."

" Yeah, right." She spat, her body remaining still in the crowd.

" You dieing would be a pity, kitten." He stood before her, barely inches away. " But you're not _that_ important; a toy can be easily replaced."

" Shut up!" She yanked his shoulder, and he stumbled foreword. Their lips crashed against one another, and even the zombies had hushed themselves. Kisshu, eyes wide in unsuspecting shock, had begun to close his eyes and ushered the zombies to let Saline go, so he could pull her closer. In turn, she brought her arms around his neck, slipping her fingers in his hair. In a flash, Saline's knee connected with his groin, and Kisshu let out a gasp of pain. Laughing, she swiveled around him and ran down the hall, making her escape.

" Goddamn you!" Kisshu, on his knees, clutched his lower body; eyes experiencing stars. " Get her!"

The zombies limped forewords, and the bright eyed alien picked himself up.

Looking up, the coiled haired girl saw two shadows moving towards her, one clad in green and the other in a red shirt.

" Hey! Saline! Look! Look!" Cassidy lunged, jumping in front of Saline, and strummed her guitar loudly. A wave of sound echoed through out the halls and the chimera anima were blown back, skin exploding. Where they landed were unconscious humans, groaning in their sleep.

" Isn't that awesome? And see! My guitar fixed itself when I summoned it again!"

" Um, gee, that's great. . ."

" Haha, yeah, sorry for not realizing this earlier."

" Oh, no. It's no problem at all. . ." Saline let out an uncomfortable laugh.

" Um, hey." She turned to see the blonde boy adorned with a thick bandage on his arm.

" Dustin. . ."

His eyes were wide with anxiety, as if something was gnawing at him from the inside.

" You guys, come one!" Cassidy yelled, running while strumming her guitar. The zombies fell left to right, turning back into regular people. Even the nurse Cassidy had attacked was restored to her regular self, _alive_ much to the two mews relief. Dustin ran beside Cassidy, careful to avoid Saline who continued to glance over at him nervously. Finally, blasting every zombie back to their original forms, they skid out of the front doors of the hospital, falling to the ground in exhaustion.

" Woo, we're out." Cassidy heaved, holding her knees with pale hands.

" Yeah. . ." Dustin replied, his face a few shades paler.

" Dustin. . ." Saline started, her mind racing with various words _' Let's break up?' ' We can't be together anymore?'_

" Saline, I don't think this is going to work out."

Saline's eyes widened, her gaze locked with the ground. Cassidy, mouth gaping, snapped her head up.

". . .What?"

" I'm sorry." He continued, eyes avoiding her gaze. " I really like you but. . ."

" But?"

How could he explain? He had been feeling as if he was being stalked ever since he had begun to go out with her? He had experienced the wrath of the undead, which he was sure had something to do with her as well. . .Not to mention the voice of a male had muttered obscene threats to him when he was drifting between unconsciousness and consciousness after being attacked by the elf.

". . .Things have been complicated lately. It's not you, it's me." He paused. " Damn, that sounded lame. . ."

"No, that's fine. . ." Saline whispered. " Things have been complicated for me too."

" We could still be _friends_. . ."

' _You sound reluctant of that'_ She thought, heart squeezing inside of her.

" Mhm. . ." Was her only verbal response.

" Perhaps you should go back to the hospital. . ." Mew papaya snapped.

" What? No!" Dustin's face grew alarmed, as he snuck a quick glance at the now bright hospital.

" It's okay, everything's back to normal now." Cassidy sighed, annoyed.

" No way, I'm going home. . ."

" What ever." She rolled her eyes, and got up. " I'll walk you home."

It sounded more like a chore than a favor.

" Thanks. . .Saline, you should come too, it's not safe to be alone." He muttered, looking at her with shy eyes.

" Um, that's okay, I'll just walk to my parents restaurant. It's only twenty minutes from here." She turned to walk down the opposite side of the side walk.

Cassidy sighed, and pulled Dustin.

" Come one let's go, and I DO NOT want to hear any questions from you. . ." She scolded. " None of how I got my tails and ears, or my kick ass guitar or who I am in general. Got it?"

Dustin nodded meekly, face disappointed, and trailed behind her under the dark street lights.

**Yes, finally updated. I'm so happy I got this out finally. . .I feel as if a heavy burden has been lifted off my shoulders. Yeah so please review, constructive criticism welcome. Letting me know what characters you like and dislike always amuse me, so go ahead with those opinions as well.**


	14. The World Is Caving In

Melody Mew Mews

Chapter 14

The World Is Caving In

"Okay, Okay, Okay. . .I understand what you're getting at." The ebony haired girl waved her arms around in exasperation. " But listen to me. . .I think we should start small and work our way up."

The voice had been growing persistent and it nagged Crystal to no end. Either she was to stupid or to slow and could barely keep up with it. . .whatever _it _was. As punishment she received massive head aches and stomach aches until she would comply with its demands. The more she let in, the more she felt the invisible force grow stronger.

'_We don't have much time. . .'_

"Well, we can make time." She argued, peering inside the swirling abyss in her mirror. The mutating shadow glowed red in opposition, and appeared to be trying to rise out of the glass it was held captive in.

'_Listen to me you insolent beast.'_

"Insolent beast? Oh no you di-" Suddenly she crouched foreword in pain, gripping her throbbing head in two clenched palms. "Okay, Okay. . .jeez, stop it!"

'_You have gotten Kisshu to agree to the plan?'_

"Yeah, he seemed pretty into it."

'_Now only Ryou must be bargained with.'_

"Alright, alright, look I think you're right, I really, _really _do. Listen to me though. . ." Crystal waited for another blast of pain to her temples but upon feeling nothing, let out a sigh and continued.

" Okay, so though I _think _Ryou pretty much despises Saline, I'm not sure. And with that, if he really does hate Saline, like I think he does, he hates the aliens more. I don't think he'd be all 'gun-hoe' for a plan involving Kisshu."

'_Oh, leave that up to me. . .'_

"W-what are you going to do?" Crystal couldn't help the shaking in her voice. A sudden wave of heat had radiated from the swirling mass in front of her. A sudden head ache stabbed at her brain once more.

'_Go.'_

"Alright, alright. . ."

With that she dashed out the door, leaving the swirling mass and her head ache behind.

**333**

"Nuh-uh. . .she did not say that!"

"She did."

Saline looked down at her hands and then peered back up at Angelica who sat twirling her small, black candy curls in annoyance.

"Marissa, did she really?"

Marissa, not so comfortable with gossip, looked uneasy as she slowly nodded. Angelica took a drink of her slurpee and snorted.

"Yeah and then she went on to say that you've gotten really stuck up."

"Oh. . .have I?"

The two other girls shook their heads in disagreement, patting the troubled girl on the back.

"Well, then why would she say that?"

"Because she's jealous."

"That doesn't seem like Crystal. Maybe she was joking?"

". . .Not a very funny joke if you ask me." Angelica responded, leaning back into her chair. It had already been 3 weeks since the hospital incident and besides a few chimera's here and there, nothing major had happened. Though, because of the disappearance of the aliens, everybody was on their toes and ready for a sneak attack.

"Isn't this the place you guys first got attacked?" Angelica asked.

"Yep." Marissa responded. " I'm gonna go get some more popcorn, any one coming?"

"I will, I'm all outta slurpee." Angelica bounced up and trailed behind Marissa. " You coming

Saline?"

"Nah, I think I'm going to go to the restroom." She stood up and walked past the concession stand, and toward the bathrooms.

A tall woman slipped past her, leaving the entire restroom empty. Saline slowly walked toward the long row of sinks and dipped her hands under the automatic faucet.

"Why the heck am I washing my hands." She asked aloud and moved onto the paper towel dispenser. Her inside clutched in pain, as she remembered how a few months ago Angelica and Marissa had ran off to Crystal about something Saline had accidentally blurted. It wasn't meant to be taken to offence but Marissa had taken things out of context which put the two friends under tough relations for a week. This was probably the same, Saline thought. What crystal had said was probably wrongly taken out of context.

Dropping the used paper towel into the trash, she walked out to find Angelica and Marissa still in line.

"Well that was quick."

"I'm always quick."

"Of course you are."

Saline rolled her eyes and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. In a moment she stopped, eyes wide, and quickly inspected her wrist. The bare flesh flashed at her under the bright theatre lights and urgency trampled through her veins. Reeling backwards she spun effortlessly in a circle, head whipping side to side in search of a silver trinket.

"Why are you spazzing?" Marissa inquired, slightly stepping out of line to find what Saline was searching for.

"The bracelet my sister gave me! It's gone!" She shook her barren arm in front of Marissa's face in proof.

"Okay, chill. You probably dropped it." Angelica interceded, gazing around the floor in hopes of seeing something. Saline gasped, eyes lighting up.

"You're right! I probably dropped it!" Her head bobbed up and down in consideration. " . . .Wait! What if I did drop it?! Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!"

"Where did you last see it?"

"I don't know! Uh, hold on, I'll go look in the restroom." She swiveled on her heel and stalked back the way she had come.

"Alright, I'll go look around the entrance." Angelica skipped the opposite direction, leaving Marissa to stand in line.

Saline rushed back into the bathroom, slowing down momentarily as a mother and her four year old walked out, and frantically began her search. Finding nothing the way in or below the sink she had washed her hands in, she grabbed a paper towel from the dispenser and inched over to the trash can. It was built into the wall, with a metal flap of a door to keep the trash inside. Not only Aichmaphobic but also Verminophobic, she cautiously poked open the metal flap, finger protected by the paper. The inside of the trash can was to dark no matter how closely she forced herself to inspect it. Pulling out her cell phone, she shone the light in and barely saw a glimpse of the objects that occupied the hole in the wall. Beside's a few used papers, nothing glittered in the light, and with a groan of disappointment she put her cell phone back into her back pocket and discarded the germy paper towel.

"Hey!" A childish voice rang out from behind as Saline turned in surprise. There stood a small child, probably ten by the looks of it, with gleaming chestnut hair in pigtails and bright honey colored eyes narrowed in mischief. Her clothes reminded the coiled haired girl of something distant flashing in her head but she couldn't quite place her finger on it. The kid raised a bandaged arm in the air, with Saline about to tell her to not abuse her hurt arm, and cocked a hip to the side flaunting her puffy blue short shorts. Saline was frazzled, cocking her head to the side and at the gesture the kid put a small hand against her pale stomach, which wasn't covered at all by her small red jacket, and began to chuckle. Out of her clenched fist escaped a silver charm bracelet, twirling mockingly in front of Saline. " Missing something?"

"Yeah, that's mine, thanks." Saline forced herself to smile and reached for the dangling jewelry, only to have the small girl pull away.

"Ah, ah, ah." She wagged an ashen finger at her. " Not so fast hag face!"

Saline's face grew red as her eyes widened.

" W-what?" She sputtered. " Hag face?!"

"Stupid human, have a problem speaking?" And that's when Saline noticed the girl's long elfish ears sticking out into the air.

"You're an alien!" She stepped back, fingers brushing against her right pocket which held her pendant.

"And you're slow." She chided, giggling obnoxiously.

"Listen here, little girl!" She felt something pop against her head and unfurl from her tail bone. "

Give me back my bracelet or I'll kick your ass through your mouth!"

The kid bit back another comment, eyes slightly wide at the raging girl in front of her but quickly snapped out of it.

" Little girl? I'm A BOY YOU DUMB HAG!"

". . .A boy? You're a boy?" Saline looked her- er him, up and down in a thorough inspection. "Well, then forget my last comment, there's nothing I can do to you that you haven't already done to yourself."

"And what's that suppose to mean?" The boy screeched, leaning forward with burning eyes. "Ugh! Forget it! I'll just kill you right here, right NOW!"

He pulled out a pair of click clack weapons and leered deviously at her.

"I don't think so!" Saline yanked out her pendant and kissed it. "Mew Mew Brownie Metamorphosis!"

The boy covered his face at the bright pink flash of light, and soon found himself against the wall. Looking up he saw the pink mew extending her arm towards him and holding a white microphone. He slowly stood up and growled, lifting his own weapon once again and clutching the mews bracelet in his other hand.

"I see, so you use ultra sonic sound waves." His look of frustration soon turned to a smile.

"That's fine with me, because I use electric currents."

Silent, Saline's eyes widened. With a flick of his wrist and the clacking of his weapon, electricity shot toward her, sending her flying back. Her feet left the ground and head landed against the cold, hard tile floor, sending a throbbing pain throughout her skull.

"Not so tough now, are you?" He advanced on her twitching from. "Don't worry, I'll end this. It's the least I can do, especially to get Kisshu's mind of you and to focus on our mission."

"W-what. . ." Saline groaned in pain, easing herself onto her elbows. "What mission?"

"To suck the life out of this planet and its people."

"That's horrible. Why would you do that?"

"To save our people. While you stupid, filthy humans pollute this world and kill everything around you, our people suffer on our home planet."

"It can't be that bad. . ."

The boy scoffed bitterly.

"Oh, it can't? Most of the children on our planet die directly after birth, everyone's infected with some sort of illness, our crops are dead, our atmosphere is growing hotter and hotter and everything. . .everyone is dying."

Saline glanced up at him, eyes in a daze and mind swirling. The boy was wide open, to distracted in his fury and vulnerable to attack. Swinging her microphone, a blast of sound threw the kid backwards, though as Saline expected, he caught himself in mid air just before hitting the ground.

"You hag!"

"It's Saline." She pointed her weapon once more. " And. . .I'm sorry about what's happening to your people but I can't let you succeed in your plan. We're protecting our people as well."

The boy snorted, and attacked once more with a bolt of lightning, which Saline barely dodged. Instead she slammed against one of the stall doors, almost diving head first into a toilet. Squealing, she jumped back and focused yet again on the small alien. To her surprise, he was nowhere to be found. Glancing side to side, she slowly walked down the long bathroom kicking stall doors open with every step, weapon pointed and aimed. Reaching the end of the bathroom, in front of the second entrance, she concluded that he had left.

"Damn, where'd he go?"

A sharp scream pierced the pink mews thoughts, as she dashed foreword to the exit. Whirling around the restroom corner she saw the exit blocked by debris and quickly ran to the other side of the restroom to find the second exit the same. She kicked at the large rocks, and attempted to pull the fallen pieces away but failed, finding her enhanced mew strength to not match the weight of the debris. More screaming erupted and the lights flickered on and off. Saline paced frantically, racking her brain for a plan. Something crumbled on top of her head and she reached up to feel, finding white powder. Glancing up she saw a small crack in the ceiling, elongating itself. Glancing down she saw another crack, this time on the floor, mirroring the ceiling. Her heart stopped.

The theatre was going to collapse upon itself.

**A/N: The plot thickens! 0.o um, hope you guys liked it and if you're on spring break like I am, have a great spring break! Reviews are appreciated.**


	15. Movie Theatre Mayham

Melody Mew Mews

Chapter 15

Movie Theatre Mayham

A red pin stripped bag of popcorn shot forward, knocking Angelica off balance and onto her back. On the ground, with pieces of popcorn strewn around her and in her hair, she let out a whine of frustration. Marissa hopped from the other side of the lobby, dodging bullets of popcorn kernels, and landed beside her friend to help brush off the oily pieces. Ripping handfuls of the white, puffy food, Angelica jumped up with a clenched jaw.

"Why are these things-" She motioned towards the chimera. "-always so _stupid_ but always hurt so_ badly_?"

Marissa responded with a half hearted shrug and dodged another blast of kernel bullets from the purple vested monster. Angelica stumbled in place, feeling one of the bullets graze her leg and leave a thin line damp with blood.

"Ugh! That hurt!" Angelica fumed, crouched over and softly pressing a gloved hand on top of the shallow wound. "Alright Marissa, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!"

". . .I do?"

" _Yes_!"

The two stared at each other, one lost and the other determined. After a few seconds, Marissa shook her head and Angelica groaned.

"_Marissa_, you're embarrassing me in front of my future _BF_." The periwinkle mew hissed. Marissa dodged a long whip of licorice, and landed on a red glittery table, staring at Angelica with a confused expression. Dodging the whip herself, Angelica motioned furiously with her head toward the levitating figure on the other side of the lobby.

"Angelica, Girl, you serious?" Marissa narrowed her dark purple eyes in irritation. "What ever happened to Nick Jonas?"

" Yes, YES I AM! He's no Nick Jonas, but he's so cute!" Angelica squealed, jumping and curling into a back flip in the air. She whipped out her skittles harp, and strummed. The chimera anima slipped by the sound wave, and gave a raspy chuckle to the periwinkle mew, spitting out more kernel bullets. The purple alien, floating closer to the ground, unleashed a red fan.

Angelica gawked at him as Marissa chuckled at the weapon.

" Ha ha, look, he has a giant fan." Marissa continued to chuckle, ironically raising her purple violin. Angelica didn't respond as the alien swiftly pulled back the fan and swiped it, letting a great gust of wind knock Marissa backwards, into the soda machines.

"Oh snap." Angelica stated, eyes darting from the alien to where Marissa had landed. She dodged a gust of wind, and ran for the purple alien who slightly glared back in surprise. Hopping table to table she threw herself at him, and both their weapons clashed, sending them throttling back words. A chunk of the ceiling fell, causing the lights to flicker, and the ground to shake. Pai, stopping mid air and glanced down at the splitting ground. Suddenly, frozen slushee hit him square in the face. Marissa's laughter rebounded off the crumbling lobby walls, as she stood a bit off balance with a slushee nozzle in her hand.

"Skittles Lied!" Angelica aimed towards the chimera anima, blasting it into the wall. More chunks of debris fell and Marissa fell onto the ground from the shaking beneath her feet. A chunk of the ceiling hit Pai in the back, sending him falling into the dark crack in the ground. Angelica ran forward, sliding against the floor adorned with crumbled pieces of plaster, and barely caught Pai's hand. The breath caught in her throat charged out of her mouth, leaving her gasping for air. Her arm was strained and felt as if it was going to detach from her shoulder blade. Despite the alien's heaviness and the burning pain in her arm, she held on even as the ground continued to shake. He glanced up at her, vision slightly hazy, and eyes widened.

"Hold on." Angelica smiled and struggled to pull him up, eventually getting half of his body onto the ledge.

"Pai!" A voice rang out from above, revealing the tiny alien boy.

" Tart. . .I'm fine." He stated calmly, though his face scrunched up in strain. He peered back up at the periwinkle mew, eyes laced with confusion and mild distrust.

"Are you okay?" Angelica asked though was quickly pulled away from the elder alien by two hands. Angelica glanced up in frustration and found the culprit to be Crystal. Saline also ran up beside them, unleashing her microphone once more.

"Instead of making googly eyes at the enemy, you guys should've been helping poor Saline." Crystal gave the frazzled pink mew a big thumbs up. "She was trapped in the restroom which was about to collapse within itself."

"You okay Saline?"

"Dandy." She responded with a mock salute.

"You stupid mew mews! Come on Pai!" Tart unleashed an electrical current at the group who quickly scrambled away. Saline jumped up, microphone in front of her.

"Well, I haven't done this in a while." She grinned, getting into her signature pose. "For the lives of the innocent, I will bring justice! ~Nya!"

The others held out their own weapons in offence.

" Melody Mew Mews, it's show time!" Saline beamed, as their weapons began to light up.

Cassidy began to strum furiously, the music starting off ecstatic accompanied by the soft tinkle of Crystals flute barely audible but delivering a smooth note. Marissa stroked the strings on her violin with the same intensity as Cassidy and Angelica joined in with the light, airy sound of her harp.

"_In this world, where the sun cuts up tiny pieces of me; what exactly should I protect?_" Saline began her voice in a mezzo soprano and words slightly choppy. With Cassidy, their music was always more of the alternative rock genre, and not the same electro-pop/ indie-pop Saline had started out with. "_After endless struggles, I find that I'm beginning to realize who I am."_

"_I find the faux light disappearing and the real light shining through; from these hands._" Cassidy joined in, and soon the aliens clenched their jaws and held their ears in pain. "_Streaks of white through this blind night, I find myself changing for the better. I know I understand you now._ "

"I see, their music. . . it carries a high pitched frequency most cannot hear." Pai yelled over the loud music.

"Is that what that is? Ah! My ears are going to start bleeding!" Tart exclaimed, teeth grinding in pain. "Let's get out of here!"

With a nod the two alien's teleported away, and immediately afterward the music halted. Angelica fell onto her butt and flexed her fingers.

"Who would've thought strumming a harp would be so much work." She rubbed her hands together.

"Strumming a harp? What about blowing into a flute?" Crystal moaned. "I always run out of breath."

"Maybe you should exercise more." Angelica retorted.

"Maybe you should _watch yourself_." Crystal glared in return.

"Okay, okay stop it you two." Saline scolded; her outfit fading back into her regular clothes. She smiled at Crystal who smiled back.

"Well, I'm glad you two aren't irritated at one another anymore." Cassidy sighed, referring to Saline and Crystal. The two other girls chuckled nervously.

"Well, it wasn't Saline. I was just having a bad week."

"Yeah, we're good now."

"Well that's great but let's get out of here before someone see's us." Marissa advised as they slipped out of the side doors at the right end of the theatre. "Thank God the café is in the plaza right next to the theatre."

"Definitely."

The walk to the café took fifteen minutes at most and upon their arrival the girls found Erin and Keiichiro standing next to the cash register. Erin seemed to be arguing while the longer haired brunet struggled to come to peaceful terms with the small girl. Walking over, now fully transformed back to their normal selves, the girls dropped into a random table.

"Girls, our computer read that two aliens were at the sight of the attack." Keiichiro questioned, eyebrows knit with worry.

"Yeah, well, it wasn't Kisshu." Cassidy groaned, head against the cool surface of the table. "It was some midget and an older guy."

"Pai and Tart." Saline yawned, head pillowed by her folded arms.

"What nice guys." Crystal spat sarcastically.

Keiichiro smiled and dove into the kitchen for a few minutes while Erin took a seat next to the group and began to chatter endlessly on her day in the café. Cassidy and Saline spared a few comments to fake that they were listening, while Marissa nodded her head slightly and the other two remained silent. Keiichiro came back out, Ryou trailing behind him, with a cake in one hand and plates in another. Cutting the pieces, he passed the dessert around.

A few hours passed, until the sky burned a dark orange and the mews parents began to park outside the café, waiting for their children. With only Saline and Cassidy left, Ryou tapped Saline's shoulder. Turning, she saw him holding something in his fist.

"I think you lost something." He slipped a silver bracelet into her hand, and slowly walked up the stairs.

"Thank you!" She exclaimed, hoping he heard her and examined the bracelet in her palm. She wondered, Tart had it last so how exactly did Ryou get it?


	16. Taking Control

**Chapter 16**

"Alright girls, with eight weeks left of school I'm glad you all agreed to start work now!" Keiichiro smiled. "Care for a little tour?"

The girls, all six of them present, nodded and scurried behind the tall brunet down a faded pink hall. The walls were lined with faux vines of green hanging down the ceiling and paintings of many old sights ranging from Japan to Italy. The floors were a pearly tile and complimented the stone pillars with fake cracks scattered throughout the interior of the restaurant. It was a very neatly kept and nicely decorated place and already there were a few customers.

"You see the original design for the café was more of a bubbly feel, but we thought we would mellow it down." Keiichiro gestured towards the various painting, one depicting an upward view of the Eiffel tower. "I suppose Ryou wanted to appeal to more customers, besides teenage girls. Our original design was a hit in Japan, but America. . .is a different culture, I suppose I could say."

They walked into a door which read 'employees only' and saw that it led to another dark hallway, lined with doors and dark wooden floors. Keiichiro walked past the first door motioning.

"That door is a closet; it contains brooms, buckets, basically everything needed for cleaning purposes." He stopped at the second door, which was painted white. " And this is the door to the dressing room."

They entered a fairly large room with a row of lockers on one side and an open shower in the corner along with some sinks lined along the other wall. Keiichiro picked up a box next to the door and placed it on the wooden bench in the middle of the room. He gestured to the girls to take a look inside; they found neatly folded maid dresses and locks.

"I'm guessing these are for the lockers." Saline stated, picking a lock up and messing with its front lobe.

"That's right." He smiled. "Here, I'll let you girls choose your lockers."

After they chose their lockers, Keiichiro led the group back into the hallway though he didn't go further down.

"Down there is where Ryou and I stay." He pointed to the isolated door next to the right corner of the hall. "And the door across it is the lab; all of you will get to see it in time."

" So when do we start?" Angelica interjected.

" Right now if you'd like." Keiichiro smiled, leading them back to the locker rooms. " It's almost lunch time, and we do need our workers."

He left the six to dig through the box full of uniforms, picking each maid outfit according to their mew mew colors. As Saline reached for the pink one, Erin quickly picked it up.

" I want the pink!" Erin bounced.

" Um. . .it's a bit to big for you Erin." Saline gave a weak smile as the petite girl held it up to her small frame. " It was kinda custom made for me."

" Ugh. . ._fine_." She groaned after a few moments of hesitation, handing the dress to Saline and pulling out her own yellow.

They walked out of the locker rooms quickly, moving past the tables and ducking into the kitchen. Keiichiro was pulling a cake out of the oven and Ryou stood with a list checking inventory. Noticing the girls enter, Ryou offered a sideways glance, then continued to check off his list.

" Alright girls," The blonde began. " I suppose we'll divide up. Saline, Cassidy and Marissa can be the waitresses for today. Angelica, you're the hostess and Crystal and Erin can help Keiichiro out in the kitchen."

The girls broke off, Angelica trailed after Ryou to the cash register, Crystal and Erin stayed with Keiichiro as the rest walked out to grab pads and pens from where Ryou had instructed. Saline nervously tugged at her skirt.

" You guys. . ." She whispered. " I'm not good with. . ._people_."

" Since when?" Marissa looked over at her skeptically.

" Well. . . " Saline stared at the customers. " I'm not good with people I don't know. . .what if I mess up their orders?"

" You won't." Cassidy reassured her, handing a pad and pen.

As it had turned out, Saline struggled walking up the the tables to ask for peoples orders, especially when they asked her trivial questions she didn't know. Which would she prefer? How much was a burger? How long were they open? Not only did she not know the answers to those questions, but she ended up sputtering things that she knew were ridiculous. Keiichiro ended up calling Saline to the hostess table. She meekly walked over, excusing herself of the couple sitting down.

" Are you okay? You seem flustered." He observed.

" I'm sorry. . .I'm just. . ."

" Shy?" He proposed as she nodded. " I never would have thought that of you, though."

" Yeah, I get that a lot." Her face flared. "I'm sorry."

" How about we switch you out with Angelica?" Keiichiro proposed. " All you have to do is seat the customers."

Angelica scowled.

" Thanks, because of your whining, I have to get switched out."

" I wasn't even complaining."

" Yes, you kinda were." Angelica grabbed Saline's pen and pad, walking past her to wait on the tables. Saline frowned, but didn't make any more comments. She knew Angelica's "up then down" behavior all to well. Saline just convinced herself Angelica wasn't trying to mean; she just acted that way subconsciously. The thought didn't stop a fire from burning in her belly though.

" Erin!" Angelica growled. " Can you please be faster with the orders."

" I'm getting them ready as fast as I can!" The smaller girl whined, shooting Angelica a dirty look.

" No, you're just standing there doing nothing!"

" Will you stop being so bossy!" Erin slammed the roll of lettuce in her hands down.

" We haven't even gotten an order with lettuce!" Angelica retorted. " When you stop pretending to do work, then I'll stop being bossy!"

Erin's cheeks lit up in red and she looked down at the lettuce. Working just wasn't her forte and it never would be. Erin huffed and walked over to the hanging orders. Frontega chicken, strawberry short cake, a milkshake. . . She groaned. Looking over at Keiichiro, she caught site of a broom.

" I'll go sweep stuff!" Erin cried, grabbing the broom and running out the kitchen before Keiichiro could object.

" Erin!" Angelica shrieked as the small brunette pushed past her.

Saline sighed at their antics, fumbling with some menu's stacked in front of her.

" Excuse me, miss?" A man in a work suite came up to her with a stern expression.

" Uh, yes?"

" Do you know that the plants outside pose a fire hazard?"

Saline blinked.

" W-what?"

" A fire hazard. . ." The man repeated. " Well, aren't you going to do something?"

" Um. . ."

" The nerve! Where's your manager? I demand to see him!" He wagged a pudgy finger at her.

" K-Keichiro. . ." The coiled haired girl meekly called. Keiichiro, after being informed by Marissa, came out to Saline's aid.

" How about you and Marissa switch with Erin and Crystal?" He shoed her off into the direction of the kitchen. Nodding, she grabbed Marissa and dashed with her to the back. Crystal triumphantly dropped the onions she was horridly chopping and after washing her wands, ran off to take over Marissa's shift.

Saline bounced all around the kitchen, retrieving the ingredients to cook everything needed.

" I'll start with the Frontega chicken, wanna make the milkshake?" She smiled at Marissa, who was equally beaming. " Whoa, I know why I'm happy. . .but why are you?"

" I wanted to work in the kitchen too!"

" You like cooking?" Saline questioned, beginning to dice a tomato.

" No. . .but I do like something else." She turned away, plugging the blender in. Saline cocked her head to the side, not exactly understanding Marissa's subtle hints.

" Oh good! You two have already started!" Keiichiro smiled, slipping on an apron. " Good job Marissa."

Marissa blushed and replied with a soft "thank you". Saline glanced between the two, eye slightly twitching. Realization hit her as a smile crept its way onto her face. Chuckling to herself ( and earning a weird look from the other two), she continued to make the sandwich. Saline, finally realizing her place was in the kitchen, didn't notice the hours pass by. The kitchen had become hot because of the oven, and beads of sweat collected on her forehead. Her and Marissa raced around, completely oblivious to their surroundings, nor when Keiichiro's watch began to beep. The older man stopped, glancing at his watch, noticing the alert of a chimera signal.

" Girls, their's a chimera sighting at the Luis Park Zoo. . ." He muttered, turning off the beeping. " It seems the aliens are at it again."

" We're on it." Saline chirped, putting down her knife and wiping her hands on a wash cloth.

" It's okay if only a few of you go. . ." Keiichiro suggested. " The chimera doesn't seem very strong."

" Gotcha. . .Marissa can stay here." Saline winked at the blushing girl, who gratefully smiled back. Running out, she tapped Cassidy on the back.

" Hey, monster sighting at the park." Saline whispered. " We need to get their now, the others can stay to help out with the café."

Cassidy nodded in response, following Saline out the back door. Once standing out side the café, they transformed quickly and jumped over the undergrowth and into the tree's. In a matter of minutes they were at the zoo's enterance, both panting and sweating.

" Okay, we may have super speed." Cassidy heaved, sweat dripping off her chin. " But once we get back, I vote that we propose to Ryou to build us a mew mew mobile."

" Yes. . ." Saline breathed heavily, hands on her knees. " I can't keep running half way across town."

Cassidy nodded and ambled toward the gates. Glancing around she noticed the Zoo deserted, and glanced wearily at Saline. The pink mew only waved her hand to dismiss the others worries and proposed splitting up. Hesitantly, Cassidy nodded, automatically rushing to the pony stables. Sighing, Saline turned her heel and followed the cobble stoned path in the other direction. She passed the tank with the alligators, thankful the aliens didn't choose one of them to transform. Then she thought, perhaps they would go for the biggest animal? She ran over to the elephant exhibit. Running to the bridge, she looked over the railings to see a mother elephant and her baby resting in the grass. Sighing, Saline ran a hand through her hair.

" Well, hello there hag face."

" Hag face?" Saline's face scrunched up as she turned to see the smaller alien from before floating in mid air. He had on a cocky grin and crossed his legs.

" You heard me!" He sneered.

" Alright." Saline deadpanned. " I'll bite. . .which animal?"

" Oh, I don't make animal chimera's. . ."

" You don't?" Saline raised an eyebrow.

" Nope. . ."

" You don't make animal chimera's so you make. . ."

" Plant chimera's!" He chirped.

" Fantastic." Saline sighed. " Now what plant could you have possibly picked to turn into a chime-"

Her eyes widened.

" Oh shit!" She cried, reeling back and running to Cassidy.

**A/N: Haha, this chapter was suppose to end with them defeating the chimera but at the last second I was like " Nah. . .I have a better idea". So this chapter was a bit boring, but hopefully I managed to get in a bit of character development. . . If I didn't, well, does it help to say I might get the next chapter out tomorrow? I'm gonna try to shift the attention off of Saline for the next few chapter. I gotta focus on some of the other girls. . .**

**by the way, this chapter came out late becuase not only did my charger die ( so my laptop had no juice for half the summer), I also was busy fixing the first few chapters. . . because they were full of epic fail.**

**Title inspired by Metro Stations song Control.**


	17. Take It Off

**Chapter 17**

Cassidy shrieked, watching the huge white bulb of a plant swipe her to the side. Rolling across the cement, she hit the railing of the monkeys pen. Squeals and barking erupted from the startled animals, who leaped in a frenzy, punching the walls of their cage. The brunette winced at the sudden and chaotic sound, her dog ears drooping.

" Aw, shut up!" She growled, kicking the fence whilst still sprawled on the ground. Her calf was suddenly squeezed tightly, as she let out a yelp of pain.

A thin green vine clenched around her leg, cutting off her circulation and proceeded to lift her off the ground. She shrieked, feeling as if her leg was being pulled apart. She quickly shut up and sputtered, feeling a warm liquid drip on her mouth and lips as she dangled upside down. Glancing up she caught site of her leg cut up and bleeding from the plants appendages. Her eyes popped, and she heaved heavy breaths until finally breaking out into guttural screams. More blood dripped onto her face as she furiously swiped it away.

" Saline!" She cried, eyes red and gushing with tears. " Saline! Saline!"

The plant made a plopping noise, as the top slowly bubbled with a clear liquid. Tiny droplets bounced off it's tip, landing on the green mew, who's voice was now hoarse from screaming. The liquid burned her skin, and she heard a slight sizzle. Shaking her body she held her arms out and summoned her weapon. What she didn't count on was the combined weight of her guitar pulling her against the vines even more. They clasped around her leg tighter, as Cassidy let out a strained scream, dropping her weapon. Her cheeks pulsed with the blood rushing to her head as her leg lost all feeling. She moaned, her arms dangling limply. A gust of wind hit her, and suddenly she was falling. She felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her and slowly place her onto the ground. She glanced up, eyes blurred not only by tears but by the dizziness that hit her. She saw a large cobalt blue eyes and face hidden under a silver masquerade mask. Her eyes slowly rolled back as she felt him let go of her.

" Cassidy!" Saline sprinted to her side, catching sight of a figure disappear into the ever looming Florida tree's. She glanced at the girls bloodied leg, and quickly lifted it up against a tree to prevent more blood loss.

" Who let her go!" A shrill voice cried. " Aw! And they hurt my chimera! The stinker!"

Saline whipped around, summoning her weapon.

" You're plants not the only thing that's going to get hurt!" She sneered, propelling herself into the air. Raising her fist into the air she swiped at Tart, who in a panic teleported. In his place, a vine shot at her, almost hitting her in the stomach.

" I don't think so!" She growled when it tried to retract it's appendage. Grabbing the vine, she ripped it from its root. The plant let out an angry gurgle, spewing its juices in her direction. She shot her attack, the pink burst of energy barely blocking the fluids. Landing on the ground, she stood and sprinted. Attacking once more, she slightly hit it in its stalk. It instantly recovered, throwing a bunch of its whips in her direction. She attacked once more, destroying a few vines, but getting tangled in the rest. The gripped her entire body tightly, and she felt her skin split on her forearms.

" Ha!" Tart reappeared, pointing a victorious finger in her face. " I showed you hag face!"

Saline glowered in response.

" Don't get angry! If it makes you feel better-" Tart stuck his nose in the air. "-you helped me prove that I could do what Kisshu couldn't!"

" And what would that be?" Saline hissed, feeling a vine creep around her neck and squeeze.

" Killing you." Tart smiled darkly.

Saline closed her eyes and struggled to breathe as the vine gripped her neck tightly. She felt a slicing sensation and her eyes snapped open. Without thinking she set off her attack, hitting the vines, Tart and herself. Spiraling to the ground, she hit the top of a cage and then tumbled onto the concrete.

Tart floated next to her, holding his rib cage. Eyes spiteful and blazing with fury, he limped toward her.

" Listen here." He coughed. " We're going to suck your planet and your people of their essence and there's nothing _you _can do about it."

" What do you mean essence?" Saline mumbled, head still plastered to the ground.

" The very energy that keeps your planet together." Tart wheezed. " Without it there would be nothing holding your planets matter together and a giant black hole would form. Don't you idiots even know that much?"

Saline frowned inwardly. They didn't since Ryou didn't give them much information to begin with.

" How could you possibly do that?" She played dumb. " That's impossible!"

Honestly, she didn't think anything was impossible at this point.

" It comes from the center of the earth." He grinned. " The core- that's where we'll get it. As for how? It's really none of your business."

He stuck his tongue out but Saline's head was still face down on the ground. She heard a boom, and tart yelp.

" Get away from her you cross dresser!" Cassidy's voice bellowed. " You think you can screw up my leg and then pancake my best friend?"

She strummed her guitar once more, sending Tart onto his back once more. Running foreword, her dog like sense taking over, she zoomed up to the plant and strummed her guitar once more. The plant slightly tore, but soon reattached itself. Scowling, the green mew strummed again. Landing on her feet she kicked at the base of the giant plant. A rush of clear goo exploded out and Cassidy yelped as she jumped back, legs once again scorched.

" Damn." She cursed, but to her satisfaction the plant shook in what she supposed was pain. Reeling on her heel, she strummed once more at the base. Vines shot at her, catching her wrist by surprise. Yanking, she snapped them and fended the rest off with her guitar. Back flipping through the air, she sent another hit, flattening the ambitious vines. Tart gawked from his position on the ground.

" Yeah, you better be afraid you midget!" Cassidy screamed at him, face red with ire.

Swiping at a few petals, and ripping more vines, she ran foreword once more and summoned all her strength into her guitar. She strummed once more, screaming, and a hole burst into the plant. It let out a throaty gurgle, toxics exploding like a volcano. Cassidy landed on top of one of the zoo's concession stands.

" If you weren't eight years old, I'd punch the hell out of you!" Cassidy raised her fist.

" You don't scare me, bull dog face!" Tart replied feebly. Cassidy's eyes narrowed in malice. ". . .okay, maybe a little."

Cassidy jumped off the roof, and her bleeding leg gave out from under her. Falling on her butt, she hoped the small alien hadn't seen. Looking up she discovered that he'd disappeared. Crawling over to Saline, she placed a shaking hand on the pink mews shoulder.

" Saline!" Cassidy asked. " Are you okay?"

" I should be asking you that." Saline croaked out. " Is your leg alright?"

" No, I can barely feel it." Cassidy winced. " But your face. . .shit, your neck is bleeding!"

" It's okay." She rolled onto her back. " It's not like my jugular got cut or anything."

Cassidy winced at the others face. Her entire left cheek was red from a deep scrape, and black from the dirt and debris that she had scraped it against, and her lip was bleeding profusely. Cassidy's fingers hovered over the others neck, which was lined with purple welts on her busted skin and a dark, bloody cut rung around her flesh.

" It was a Amorphaphalus Decus Silvae." Saline mumbled. " It's rare; the zoo's going get mad."

" Whoa, how'd you know?"

" I read the placard on it's cage a few weeks ago when I came here." Saline tried to smile, but her split lip burned at the pull of her skin.

" You're arms are bleeding." Cassidy remarked.

" You're leg is purple from blood loss." Saline countered. " They'll send back up, don't worry."

" Here it comes now." Cassidy, who was now lying with her leg propped up, stared at Ryou's figure. He dashed towards them. Cassidy faintly noticed both her and Saline turning back to normal.

" Good, keep your leg propped up like that Cassidy." Ryou remarked, kneeling down. His eyes widened at Saline's face. " Saline, don't move!"

A black jeep rushed to them, halting a few feet away. Keiichiro and Marissa jumped out, eyes bulging. Pulling the two girls into the jeep, Ryou sat next to them. Keiichiro started the car and pressed the gas. The car shot foreword.

" We're going to take you two to the café." Ryou said. " Going to a hospital might cause to much suspicion."

" Are you insane?" Cassidy coughed.

" Trust me." Ryou looked out the window. The café soon came into view, as Keiichiro skillfully avoided traffic. Keiichiro helped Cassidy come out, holding her up by putting her arm around his shoulders. Marissa also helped on Cassidy's other side, as they helped her into the café. Ryou grabbed Saline swiftly, lifting her out of the car and shutting the door with a kick. Walking into the hallway, he trailed after Keiichiro and Cassidy through a door and up stairs. Ryou placed Saline on a bed in one of the rooms and quickly retrieved the first aid kit.

" Go to sleep." He commanded. " We'll handle your parents, what you need now is to sleep."

" First. . ." She croaked, voice scratchy. " Tell me how the aliens are going to steal the earths essence."

" I don't know yet." Ryou responded. " I'll tell you everything tomorrow. For now, go to sleep."

Saline slowly closed her eyes and fell off into a dreamless sleep. In the other room, Cassidy struggled against Keiichiro, who tried to apply antiseptic.

" It burns!" Cassidy hissed. " I'm sorry, really, I'm trying to be still."

" I know." Keiichiro gave a tired smile. " Ryou could you help Marissa hold her down."Ryou sighed, and pushed Cassidy down with an iron grip. Cassidy blushed at the contact, which was barely noticeable considering her cheeks were always pink. Keiichiro continued to apply the antibacterial liquid to her cut up leg and soon bandaged it up.

" Do you think you can walk?" Keiichiro asked. Cassidy hesitantly got up, leg giving away momentarily. " Alright, lay down for an hour or so, I'll bring up some orange juice. You're probably just experiencing blood loss but you're okay."

Cassidy nodded, relief flooding her expression.

" I need to speak to Cassidy for a moment." Ryou smiled. Keiichiro looked at him with furrowed brows and exchanged a glance with Marissa. " It won't take long."

Keiichiro nodded and beckoned Marissa to fallow him out, closing the door behind him. Cassidy looked up at the blond nervously who kneeled down to look up in her eyes.

" I have a few requests I'd like to ask of you." He smiled once more. " It's a secret though, between you and I."

Cassidy nodded.

" I'd like to know a few things. . ." Ryou spoke quietly. " I've seen and heard a few things. . .Some people. . .if I tell, you have to do what I tell you. . .yes?. . .good."

He slightly lifted himself up and leaned into her ear, whispering. Cassidy's eyes widened and jaw dropped.

" WHAT?"

**A/N: Ah! Secrets! It's pretty important to the plot. . .but I won't tell, you'll just have to read the next chapter. . .: )**

**Title of the chapter inspired by Kesha's song Take It Off. I was listening to it the entire time I wrote this; it's so addicting. Also, some of the chapter names have been changed to title's or excerpts of songs I listened to while writing them. I figured since the mew mews use music to fight, I should use song titles for the names of chapters.**


	18. If You Want More Love, Just Say So

**Chapter 18**

" Seriously." Adam Grey, a fair complexioned brunet, lamented. " What's up with you and ditching all of our plans?"

Saline emitted a nervous laugh, eyeing the binders in her arms wearily.

" Sorry about that. I have a lot going on."

" I see. You're dumping me." The brunet dramatically lifted the back of his hand to his forehead; his face scrunched up in mock pain. " Let me guess? It's not me, it's you?"

" Shut up." Saline smirked, peering at him from the corners of her eyes. " I've been busy, that's all."

" Busy is one thing; you look tired,like, all the time." The grey eyed boy observed, eyeing the girl with speculation.

" Yeah, well. . ." Saline sighed. " I _am_ tired."

Adam snorted in return, cracking a joke that Saline wasn't paying much attention to. Her mind was still on the previous week. Her conversation with Ryou didn't go as well as she had planned. He had wasted half an hour telling her absolutely nothing and seeing that she couldn't argue with his piercing gaze, she acted as if she was content with his banter and quickly left the lab, vowing never to be in a room alone with him again. And on top of being clueless on practically everything, she found it also necessary to complicate her life even more by trying to avoid Dustin. In the beginning of the year she had thought of him being in half of her classes as a gift; she realized now that it was more of a curse. Not to mention all the tiresome gossip she tried to ignore.

" Did you hear? They broke up!"

" Nuh-uh! Why?"

" Apparently Dustin thinks Saline's freaky. . ."

" Oh my God! No way! Now that you mention it, I heard her talking to herself a few times."

She did not. . .NOT. . .talk to herself. Nope. No way. Nuh-uh. Maybe she occasionally, key word: _occasionally_, thought out loud but she did not talk to herself. Well. . .maybe there was that one time. . .Saline shook her head. There was no point in caring about what the girls at her school gossiped of; gossip was poisonous. She had learned that the hard way. Rushing to her third period and anticipating lunch, she sat down in her seat quickly. Faking a cheery smile and a warm hello to a few people, she took out her planner and began writing down her assignments. Recently she found it hard to concentrate and had developed a serious one track mind. On top of the confusion, the avoidance of Dustin, the gossip, and the conveniently endless piles of homework that seemed to pop up as a result of final exams, she found herself thinking of the stupid psychopathic alien. Kisshu. Kisshu, Kisshu, Kisshu. Ugh. . .

She felt her heart race a mile a minute at the thought of him, anxious for when she'd see him again. He was sure to be angry and that thought alone made her queasy. She realized a while ago she had taken a sick sort of liking to him and it frustrated her how serious he acted one moment and how the next he went back to teasing her; she had no clue what his true feelings were. There it was again; confusion. Saline didn't like being in the blind spot. Why did people have so many things to hide any ways? She sighed for the umpteenth time, and remained oblivious to her ranting Language Arts teacher.

I should give up on guys, she thought meekly, give up on guys, move to Vienna and start living the life of an art merchant who seeks refuge every night in a church. Doesn't that sound fun? The negative thoughts were soon penetrated by the shrill ring of the fire alarm. Clamping her hands tightly around her sensitive ears, Saline winced at the noise. The class got into an orderly line, and filed out the door. With all the other classrooms doing the same, Saline easily spotted Cassidy who, humorously, also held onto her ears tightly. Nudging the other when she drew near, she snuck a look toward the teacher and began to whisper.

" I sense the aliens."

" Really?" Cassidy leaned foreword. " Are you sure it's not just a cafeteria fire?"

" Positive."

Saline's heart fluttered and she looked around her, half expecting to see the golden eyed alien to pop up and smirk at her. Cassidy gave her a strange look, and looked in the direction she was staring toward.

" What are you looking for? Kisshu?" She half joked.

Saline fidgeted in her place and avoided the others eyes.

" No. Why would I look for him?"

Cassidy shrugged in response and jumped as the teacher shushed them. Rolling her eyes she flipped out her phone discretely and texted a quick message. A distant noise, like that of a bomb, exploded and sent Cassidy's hair whipping around her face. Saline shielded her eyes from the blowing sand and coughed at the pungent smoke. Quickly slipping her phone back into her pocket, Cassidy searched for her pendant.

" Whether you were looking for him or not. . ." Cassidy muttered. " We found him anyways."

" Is that a tree?" A voice cried in panic. Sure enough, a giant tree sailed toward the crowd of students. The neat rows dispersed and the students leapt left and right, sending the teachers into wails of fear and frustration. The tree hit the side of the building, breaking windows and cracking the wall.

" Everybody, out the front! NOW!"

A body of people flooded the area, crushing Saline. Trying to move the opposite direction, she was shoved to and fro, almost falling beneath the feet of the rushing crowd. Cursing the fact that she couldn't transform and hop to safety, she trudged foreword, not certain if Cassidy was behind her or not.

" Oh no, don't tell me you're stuck in the crowd, sweet heart?"

A few people screamed, yelling something or another about a flying elf and the crowd seemed to move with an even greater urgency. Saline peered up, struggling to keep herself safe from the hectic crowd. Kisshu reached down and with ease, gripped her wrist. Pulling her up and high above the building, he finally stopped, leaving her to dangle. Students gaped and pointed; the principle stared with wide saucer eyes, screaming to the equally frightened faculty to help the girl get to safety.

" What are you doing?" Saline exclaimed as her relief left her. At first she thought he was lending a hand, but soon found her idea to be null. He continued to let her dangle.

" Reveal yourself."

" What?"

" You heard me." He leered, eyes glinting with malice. " Reveal yourself or I'll maim you."

Saline accused herself of going insane because at the very point he uttered the word 'maim', she felt the sudden urge to break out into a fit of giggles. Even when he summoned one of his daggers and placed it onto her vulnerable wrist, she found it difficult not laughing. The inside of her chest squeezed and pulled at the same time, sending her stomach to churn unpleasantly. Her heart raced, and she found herself unable to pin point what had caused the action; the fact she was about to die, or the fact that it was Kisshu killing her. He grinned venomously, and she felt her insides crumble.

" Let go of her!" Cassidy's command was muffled by the crowd. Someone shoved into her, sending her pendant flying into the mass of people. After sending a desperate look to her friend, she dove after it.

The cool metal of the knife pressed against her skin, and tears sprang to her eyes.

" Tell them! Tell them you're a mew mew!" Kisshu's voice rose. Momentarily his dagger retracted from her skin to gesture towards the news team piling out of a white van. " Smile at the camera, kitten! And tell them who the hell you really are!"" Stop it! Stop it!"

Kisshu shook her like a rag doll.

" Tell them or I cut straight through your wrist!" He screamed.

Saline eyed the camera's wearily.

" No! No! Just stop it! Put me down!" She protested, tears freely trailing down her face. _He wouldn't do it, he wouldn't. . .he can't! _The cold blade grazed her wrist. " Cassidy! Crystal! Marissa! Help!"

Kisshu grunted and Saline felt the sudden sensation of falling. Strong arms held onto her, holding her close and leapt onto the grassy court yard. Setting her down gently, she felt a tug on her arm and a cloth wrap around it.

" It's only a graze, he didn't cut you." The voice spoke gently, and she realized that her eyes were still tightly shut. Opening them, she stared with wet eyes at the boy in front of her. His hair, wavy and blonde, complimented his bright blue eyes hidden behind a silver masquerade mask. Standing she saw his outfit was that of an aristocrats. " Are you okay?"

" I'm fine." She wiped away her tears.

" Back off!" Another voice commanded. Looking to her right, Saline saw another boy fending off Kisshu. He was clad in the design of a playing card, outfit consisting of red and white. Kisshu sprung to his feet and swiped at the boy.

" Come back over here kitten!" Kisshu's smirk never falter and instead seemed to grow wide into a grin. The other boy, the brunet, swept at the alien with his golden scepter. Kisshu, fighting back but head not fully in the fight, motioned with one arm to Saline. " I love your face when you're serious, but you're beautiful when you cry!"

" You-you. . .psycho!" Saline shrieked. " You insane bastard! You're completely out of your mind! I can't believe I ever. . .that I actually. . ."

Her words hitched in her throat, as Kisshu's face fell to confusion. In his momentary second of inattentiveness, the brunet with the scepter hit the alien square in the jaw. He flew backwards, blue blooming on his alabaster skin, as his daggers flew to the ground.

" We'll hold him off as best as we can." The brunet turned to Saline, teeth clenched and eyes fired with determination.

" Yes, go help the other mews." The blonde one nodded towards her.

Saline's eyes widened.

" How do you know about the mew project?" She hissed.

" That's not important." The brunet replied. " The more time you spend with us, the more trouble the others will be in."

Hesitantly, the coiled haired girl nodded and bounded to the opposite direction of the crowd. She heard Kisshu screech something incomprehensible but she forced herself to ignore him and ran foreword.

**A/N: Wow. . .I feel like I'm making Kisshu more crazy than he is. . .but then again, wasn't he crazier in the manga than in the anime? I think that was the case; if I remember correctly that is. Well, Saline seems to be into psycho's but even she knows when to back off. Don't worry kiddies, it'll work out. . . Or will it? Who knows. . .**

**School's been hectic. I've been meaning to update but I hadn't got a round to it. Sadly, my Ipods screen cracked and my ear phones stopped working. . .bleh. So hence forth GrooveShark has become my best friend. This is significant, why? Because I can't write without listening to music (though this habit proves to attract spelling and grammatical errors at times). I had two songs in mind for the chapter title, but of course I could only use one. Conveniently, my initial idea for this chapter proved to be to long so I divided it up. The title for this chapter is inspired by Heartbreak Warfare by John Mayer : ).**


	19. A Family of Trees

Chapter 19

Marissa sat at the pink dabbled table of the Café, twisting the bendy straw of her strawberry lemonade in contemplation. Her eyes narrowed and mouth pursed as if about to provide a deeply thought out opinion but then slowly she refrained, instead taking a sip of her drink. Erin, to preoccupied with her assortment of cakes, sat across from her as Cassidy stared at them both with a sullen disposition.

" Okay, so any ideas?" Saline interjected the quaint silence.

" Nope."

" None."

" Nada."

The coiled haired girl sighed, subconsciously rubbing the healing cut swollen on her wrist.

" So the brunet guy-"

" I dub thee the King of Hearts!" Erin exclaimed, pieces of red velvet cake frothing from her mouth.

" We're not going to give him some stupid-" Cassidy peered over at Erin's watering eyes. " Okay, so what were you saying about. . .the King of Hearts?"

" I was going to ask if any of you had any idea's of who he might be."

" Maybe it's Akasaka!" Erin grinned.

" I doubt that." Marissa deadpanned.

" No, he looked young. Maybe around our age." Saline concluded, tapping a plastic straw on the table. " What about the blonde?"

" Maybe it's-"

" I swear to God Erin if you say it's Shirogane I'm going to strangle you." Crystal finally lifted her head off the table.

" I was not!" Her face pouted.

" Then who?" The Hispanic girls face threatened the smaller one.

". . .never mind."

" Thought so."

" I'm just concerned that they know who we are." Cassidy lamented.

" I'm concerned that the world now knows who we are." Saline tilted her head back, reminiscing on the flashing of the camera's and the surprise on the reporters faces. Marissa sighed and pushed her drink away.

" Things just got considerably worse."

" Yeah, and Angelica-" Cassidy's hazel eyes flashed toward the periwinkle mew. " I've never seen her so upset before."

Saline glanced over at Angelica, who was sweeping the barren floors. A slight bruise was visible on her cheek, despite the foundation that she had caked on, from the last battle at the school grounds. When Saline had returned to the main battle, leaving Kisshu to the two strangers that saved her, Angelica had taken to fighting the chimera dog with Marissa and Erin. Cassidy was preoccupied with Tart, so Saline distilled Pai's fans from interfering with Angelica.

With the distraction under control, Angelica fused Erin and Marissa's powers into her own weapon but upon firing at the chimera anima, Pai teleported in the way. He had underestimated the combined force, and soon swiveled to the ground. Angelica rushed over to save him, barely making the catch in time. Saline remembered the two strange boys rushing toward her, and in an instant she knew Kisshu had gotten away. Fear had seized her nerves and she stiffly turned to Angelica who had been struck to the ground. Kisshu stood above her, eyes narrowed in anger as he soon preceded to kneel besides Pai. Angelica had been fine, cheek burning from the hit, but her sole concern had been with Pai who's abdominal had burst with red.

Now Saline felt her friends unease, not for the health of the alien boy but by Kisshu's words.

" We'll destroy all of you!" He had snarled. " Every last one of you!"

She rubbed her cut again, muscles still frigid from the feel of his blade. She'd thought he'd actually cared for her, despite their brief but frequent meetings and inside she had begun to feel for him as well. But now she saw that his teasing and mocking was the truth; she was only his play thing.

_What was I expecting?_, she thought with down cast eyes, _that some guy I barely know would fall irrevocably in love with me? _Her chest wound up and squeezed.

Her thoughts were disrupted by Marissa's loud squeal of pain.

" Are you okay?" Erin raised an eyebrow.

" Oh hot damn. . ." Marissa's eyes bulged at her blackberry phone. " I'm dead. . .I'm so dead. . ."

" What?" The pink mew leaned over the table, trying to glance at the screen of the phone.

" Okay, so I found this really cute dress to wear to Annemarie's party last weekend." Marissa began. " And my dad gave me his credit card. . .well I bought the dress. But then I thought some cute earrings would go great with it. . .and then I figured that all the shoes I had wouldn't match. . .then the shoes matched this scarf I found. . .and the scarf-"

" Is there a point to this story?" Saline asked.

" Yes. Yes there is." Marissa glared. " The point is, I maxed my dad's credit card out."

" Whoa. . .you maxed it out?" Cassidy's jaw dropped. " Doesn't it take a lot of money to max a card out?"

" Obviously, or she wouldn't be so freaked." Saline retorted, resting her cheek on her hand.

" Don't nonchalantly rest your face on you cheek!" The African girl screamed. " Help me, woman!"

" What am I suppose to do? Wave my magic microphone around and grant you a thousand bucks?"

" Yes!"

" I'll be sure to get on that."

" Maybe you can borrow some money from Ryou." Erin interjected. " He's loaded!"

" He's a prude though." Saline scoffed.

" Who's a prude?" A deep voice sent the girls into a frenzy.

" Um. . ." Saline eye's widened as she kept still, refusing to turn and face the blonde.

" Shirogane. . ." Marissa interrupted, face turning pink. " Can I. . .uh. . .borrow. . . A couple. . . _hundred_?"

" A couple hundred _what_?" He raised an eyebrow.

"A couple hundred. . . .do. . .llars?" Her bright smile eased out in an effort to break the awkwardness.

" No." The blonde replied, turning his heel and passing a smiling Akasaka.

" Wow, you girls are a hit on you tube." Keiichiro chuckled. " We never expected this to escalade so fast."

" Youtube?" Cassidy exclaimed.

" Yes." The tall man smiled. " If this keeps up, soon people will be selling mew mew merchandise."

" That's so ridicul-" Marissa paused, the gears in her brain clicking into speed. " Actually, someone _could_ do that couldn't they? Yeah, they could."

" Okay. . ." Saline stood from her chair and ignored what Marissa had obviously formed as a stupid idea. " I'm going to head home you guys. See you tomorrow."

The girls half heartedly replied with their own goodbyes, all preoccupied with their own problems at the moment. Saline didn't mind and instead enjoyed changing as well as leaving discretely; she needed time to think. Ten minutes into her walk, will her bag already weighing down her shoulder, she felt her pendant grow warm in her pocket. It was one of the aliens, she had already figured, and part of her wanted it to be Kisshu as yet another part was still frightened by the gash on her wrist. But he had kissed her, she reminded herself, he had tried to prove he was better than Dustin, he leaned in when she kissed him, and he had worried when she had hurt her arm. And yet he had tried to kill her more than one occasion.

" Hello kitten." It was the same voice, teasing and mischievous, but she could feel the apprehension.

" Kisshu." She replied, her voice unsure of what was to come or even her own actions. He appeared before her, as if rising out of a thick pool of dark water.

" I'm sure you'll be displeased to know that Pai's doing fine." He smirked. " But I'm sorry to say the same can't be said for you."

Saline reeled. " Kisshu, what happened to Pai was an accident!"

" It was an accident that you hit your enemy?"

" We're not like you!" She hissed. " We don't want to hurt anyone!"

" Then you're all fools."

A chimera jumped from behind him, and swiped at her. Saline twisted high into the air and turned to avoid the large claws. Landing several feet away, she concluded that talking was not an option at this point and took out her pendant.

" Mew Mew Brownie Metamorphosis!" Her pink uniform faded on and her microphone summoned itself into her grasp. She dodged another blow from the chimera, realizing it was one of the weakest she had faced. After a few minutes of sparing, she had a clear view for a shot. With one attack it gave a mighty roar and dissipated into a tiny street cat scampering for the bushes. Catching her breath from all the running around, from the corner of her eye she saw Kisshu turn to disappear. With a spring, she caught onto his waist and sent them both sprawling onto the ground.

" Now now kitten." He leered, grasping her arms. " Shouldn't I be on top?"

He forcefully flipped her off so that he was straddling her.

" Get off of me!"

" You're the one who tackled me." His eyes glimmered. " Just too promiscuous for your own good I suppose."

She kneed him in the groin and wiggled from underneath him, tail swishing furiously. He summoned his daggers as if upon instinct, and rushed at her. Given no time to summon her fallen weapon once more, Saline stumbled onto the ground in an effort to escape the sharp points. She kicked at his wrist, knocking one of the weapons down. He slashed slightly above her Achilles tendon and with a sharp cry she descended to the ground. Anxiety took a hold of her and her heart sped up painfully. She scrambled away from him, her powers betraying her as her mew form faded away.

XXXXXXXXXX

" No." Marissa scoffed. " Actually I don't think the price of the Mew Blueberry key chain is to steep."

Her nose crunched at the woman's fuming on the other line.

" This is a limited edition Mew Blueberry key chain! You can't find them after this week and this week only!" She slammed her hand on her desk. " You listen to me Auntie Theresa! I run a good, clean business here and if you think you can barter me with threats you have another thing coming! So good day!. . ._I Said Good Day_!"

She slammed the phone, despite it being her cellular. She picked it back up and correctly pressed the end call button.

" Crazy ass woman." Marissa cursed. " Thinks she can get a Melody Mew Mew exclusive for half the price. Blasphemous."

Marissa picked up her basket full of handmade goodies, rearranging the action figures, posters, and other novelty items. With the recent news cast of the mews, she had garnered five hundred dollars worth of customers. Everyone was willing to buy her cheaply made but expensively sold merchandise. But to her luck, some other people were also popping up around the old eBay, trying to get a share of the wealth her team had bestowed. But in all honesty, her little business was going better than she expected, and soon she could pay off her fathers six hundred dollars and maybe even keep the business running a bit more. In the process of figuring out how to actually pay off the card without her father realizing, her right pocket grew warm. She hissed at the sudden temperature change and pulled the pendant out. It was glowing brighter than usual. Suddenly she felt it, the force before but now stronger than usual, someone was in trouble. She leapt up and rushed down stairs, quickly slipping her sheos on.

" Marissa!" Her mother called.

" Mom, I can't talk now, I have to go out." She replied.

" Oh no you don't." Her mother appeared before her in the hallway. " All of a sudden you always have something to do. But this time you are going to explain to me why your aunt called me complaining about something moo moo. . ."

" Mew Mew!" Marissa corrected.

" Whatever, you want to tell me why the woman was so upset."

Marissa groaned.

" Please mom, later, I really have to go!"

" What could possibly be so important." She placed a hand on her hip. " Lately you've been running around all the time as if your some kind of superhero."

" You don't know the half of it. . ." She moaned quietly, rubbing her temples.

" What?" Her mothers eyebrows furrowed.

" Mom, _later_. . ." Marissa pleading, opening the door.

" I swear to the lord, Marissa Jay Jennings, if you walk out the door, God help me I will. . ." But she had already raced out, feet hitting the pavement hard.

' _I don't even know where I'm going. . .' _She thought, anxiety growing as she eyed her surroundings with uncertainty. _' Marissa, calm down, just close your eyes. We're all connected, just follow your instincts.'_

Her hand clutched the pendant, the warmth circulating as the distress of the ambiguous mew grew more urgent. She could feel herself getting closer to the source. She was becoming delirious and her legs shook like jelly as she could practically feel her teammate half a mile away. Then suddenly the pendant grew icy and the warmth drew out of the metal as if the life had been sucked from it. Marissa gasped, and her heart skipped a beat. Her lips curled in fear. _No, I can't be to late. . ._

A/N: Had writers block. Forced myself out of it. 10 or so chapters till the end. Thanks for sticking with me guys. LoveSongRequiem93; I haven't really thought of real life comparisons, but if it makes it easy for you all I guess I'll put some up in the next chapter :).

Title inspired by Kids by MGMT.


	20. All I Ever Wanted

Chapter 20

" So wait. . ." Cassidy's eyes were big in understanding. " You're _not _a complete douche. You were just pretending."

Ryou's face grew irritated. " I think douche is a bit to harsh. . ."

" No, no." She shook her head. "I think douche is pretty accurate."

" Okay." Ryou sighed. " Yes, when I look at the signals on my computer, the amount of energy coming from the aliens had a certain intensity."

" And you also get that intensity from our team." Cassidy stated slowly.

" Exactly."

" So there's no other explanation for this. You automatically assume it's a double agent?"

Ryou scoffed. " Cassidy, this is the real world, not a James Bond movie."

" But that _is _the technical term, right?" Cassidy tilted her head.

" Yes, I suppose it is."

" So hold on." Cassidy leaned away from him, hands up in speculation. " So, this is the correct conclusion right? You think someone on our team is on the aliens side. You don't know who or how many of us, but that's why you acted so jerk-tastic. To weed us out."

He wiped his face with his hand in exasperation at her insults. " Yes, yes that is what I just explained."

" Cool, just checking." Cassidy nodded. " So. . . What makes you think I'm not the back stabber?"

"You were the only member, besides Saline and Angelica, to fully amplify you powers." Ryou explained. " My computer picked it up, and it was completely different than the aliens."

" So you know Angelica and Saline are good to. . .then why pick on Saline?"

" To divert attention. And because Saline has been acting odd with Kisshu around." Ryou stated. " I didn't want to rule her out completely and I did need a scapegoat. I had to blame someone innocent, so the guilty didn't grow to suspicious and felt more at ease thinking I wasn't on to them. If I had blamed Angelica, she would have been to outspoken about my treatment unlike Saline who I knew would keep it to herself."

" I see." Cassidy looked down at her cup of iced tea, the ice almost completely melted. " But I just can't imagine any of them betraying us. I've known all of them since we were in third grade. We've been friends for a long time."

" Sometimes people who've been around each other for a long time can deceive one another easier due to familiarity. Something may have been going on that none of you caught onto."

" I guess." Cassidy moved a strand of hair behind her ear. " Well, what do you need me to do."

" You are what I like to call a thirdie." Ryou nodded. " You're one of those people who shift from group to group, being fully trusted but never given a permanent place."

" Okay, so still a jerk, just not stoic." Cassidy glared.

" I didn't mean it as an insult." Ryou rolled his eyes.

" _Sure_ you didn't." Cassidy snorted.

When Ryou had asked her to stay behind as everyone left, she had been unsure. He was intimidating. But after their chat she found that he really wasn't that intimidating. A bit sarcastic, sure, and kinda jerkish, but nothing malicious or scary like she had previously thought. His once cold blue eyes had now reminded her of a cloudless blue sky that she could stare at for forever. And she felt comfortable, more comfortable than any other boy she had been with. Now she hoped their talk wouldn't end.

" I meant that you're easy to trust." Ryou stated, and Cassidy slightly smiled. " You can easily talk to the others and maybe extract some information."

" So you want me to super sleuth. . ." Cassidy contemplated.

" Sure, that's exactly what I want you to do." He chuckled. " And if Saline is innocent, I want you to remain by her and make sure my behavior doesn't get to her that much. Look out for her. She's your leader due to the amount of power she has, so we need her."

" What about Kisshu?"

" Is he going to be a problem?" Ryou's eyes narrowed.

" Well, I think he himself is lessening his chances of being a problem." Cassidy hinted. " But I do think Saline is unsure of him."

" That's up to you. Whether you can trick Saline into using Kisshu for our advantage, or whether that's impossible and you have to make sure those feelings don't prosper."

Cassidy nodded, and pulled her pendant out due to its warmth.

" I think something's going on. . ." She stared down in confusion. " I better go check it out."

" Go, I'll monitor." He got up and proceeded to his lab. Cassidy sighed, half concerned, and half angry that the moment was ruined.

She ran out of the shop and proceeded to run toward the main road. The pendant burned in her palm and as she jumped over a fence, she transformed into her mew form. Her mind was racing, as she had never felt the intensity this urgent or powerful before. Suddenly the pendant went cold.

" What?" Cassidy looked down and slowed to a jog. " How could it be. . ."

Had someone been. . . finished off?

Her breath caught in her throat as she quickened to her fastest pace possible. Her tail and ears blew down behind her as she sprinted closer to her destination. If Ryou was right, then as of now the only mew mews that the aliens would destroy would be the one not on their side. Moment of truth, she thought but then mentally scolded herself. These girls have been your friend for years and all you're thinking about is stopping the double agent.

She ran into an empty gas station and proceeded to run behind it. Once she turned a corner, she fell back and covered her eyes at the overwhelming bright light that seemed to devour everything around it. Her head spun, though her arms shielded her face.

" Cassidy!" Marissa's voice sounded faint. " Cassidy! Do you hear me?"

'_Yes! Yes! But where are you?' _She thought in frustration. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder.

" Cassidy! It's me!" Marissa's voice still sounded far away. Cassidy braved to let her arms fall and she looked up, expecting to see the bright light. She only saw Marissa, with a glittering background, leaning down in slow motion. Cassidy's eyes widened, as she tried to get up, but found that her limbs were to heavy and slow.

" What's. . ." Her throat strained at the word. '_going on_?'

Suddenly she felt herself rising, and her heart started beating erratically. Gravity had completely left her, and she felt her legs rise above her head. Then in an instant she dropped hard onto her back. Marissa grunted beside her. They kept in silence.

" What. . . was that?" Marissa asked, voice cracked and breathless.

" I don't know. . .did we just get attacked or. . ." Cassidy couldn't finish her thought, her mind was still swimming as if she has just snapped out of an acid trip.

" So is that what drugs feel like?"

" I don't think people start defying the laws of gravity when they're smoking joints."

" Maybe we imagined it."

" My head and the pavement disagree."

Marissa was the first to hoist herself up on her elbows.

" Whoa. . ." Was the only thing she spoke as her eyes widened at their surroundings.

" What?" Cassidy asked, still on the ground.

" I think we're dead, Cassidy. Seriously. Not joking." Marissa's voice grew hysterical. " Either we're in heaven, or a glittered out Kesha concert. I don't think the latter is possible."

Cassidy sat up. The entire air glowed in glitter and the concrete had burst out of the ground and instead of dirt, revealed grass which glowed an unnatural bright lime green.

" Where did the buildings go?" Marissa wondered, as all the buildings insight were blown away.

" Why aren't we in our mew forms anymore?" Cassidy looked down at her civilian cloths.

" Are we dead Cassidy. . .because I swear, I can't handle being dead. . .I'm young, I'm good looking. . ."

" No, we're not dead." Cassidy snapped. " We're where we were before, just all the development is gone."

" And in its place is _glowing _grass?" Marissa questioned skeptically.

" It's grass that's natural, unpolluted. . ." Cassidy answered, slowly rising. " I feel as if I just ran a marathon."

" I know I did trying to get here." Marissa groaned, stretching as she rose. " And even if it is undeveloped , what's it doing here? Last time, which was two minutes ago, this place was pact with buildings

" I have no idea." Cassidy looked around. " The roads up ahead, I say we go back to the Café."

" If the café's still there." Marissa groaned. Then she heard a rustle. " What was that?"

Cassidy turned around to a stray bed of weeds a few yards away.

" Is it just me or is that weed bed the shape of a human body?" Cassidy pointed. A hand suddenly shot out of the weeds and began to furiously pull at the remaining plants. " I know that bracelet!"

She ran to the mound and began ripping the weeds out and digging into the soil. " Marissa, help me!"

Marissa ran over and began to dig. In an instant they had Saline's head pop out of the soil. She coughed and frantically pulled herself out.

" How did you get into the ground?" Marissa's eyes popped out of her head.

" I don't know." The curly haired girl chocked out and continued coughing. She clung to Cassidy as they hoisted her off the ground.

" Come on, don't try to talk until we get to the Café." Cassidy said as Marissa immediately took out her cell phone to call Ryou.

In a matter of minutes, a car savagely raced over the grass and swerved besides them.

" Get in." Keichirou's voice commanded.

The car ride had been seemingly long, despite the short drive, and silent. Only Saline's coughing added any volume. Keichirou had helped her up and into the lab as Ryou immediately treated and sowed up the cut on her ankle. Cassidy rushed water over to her, but soon Saline ended up puking the clots or dirt she had swallowed attempting to breathe in her delirious state underground.

" What happened?" Ryou asked immediately. Saline blinked dizzily a few times before attempting to speak.

" I don't know." He voice came out scratchy. " Kisshu attacked me and then I was in the dirt."

" There has to be more to it then that." Ryou urged.

" I know." Saline replied. " I. . .okay, he cut me then I thought he was going to kill me. I got. . .scared. I actually thought I was going to die. Then after that I'm not sure what happened. My body started burning and something below me. . .I think it was below me. . .exploded. I saw blood. . .on Kisshu. I think his stomach burst open. . ."

At the thought, Saline's words stopped as she stared ahead with glistening eyes. Her mouth floundered to speak.

" I don't know. . ." She finally concluded. " I woke up in the ground. But at first I didn't know that until my arm came free.

Rou and Keichirou looked at one another in amazement." Saline. . .if what we're thinking is correct." Keichirou looked once again to Ryou. " That wasn't an explosion. That was you."

" What? How?" Her eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.

" What were you feeling right before it happened. Think hard."

" I. . .remembered thinking of how scared I was. I didn't want to die." She nodded. " I didn't want to die, and I would have done anything to live."

" Basic human survival instinct." Ryou concluded. " Everyone has it, and it leads us to find great power within ourselves that we normally can't use under normal circumstances. In animals it's more prevalent as they live only to survive. It makes them stronger and more ferocious."

" In your state of depravity and weakness, facing death you tapped into not only your human survival instincts but you animal instincts as well." Keichirou continued. " This allowed you to tap into your full, but unused power to defend yourself and ensure your survival."

" It's like Darwins theory of survival of the fittest." Ryou said. " You are a mutation, but are far more advanced than a human. You survived because you could. Your body knew it even if you didn't and in an act of immediate danger it worked without your consent."

" Because I was in a life or death situation."

" Yes." Ryou said, and Cassidy saw the hardness back in his eyes. " And that is what I expect all of you to know. It is life or death out there, and if you chose life then your enemy by default has death. These aliens want nothing more than to destroy you all, and if you give them the chance they will take it. Remember, they are the one's who started this war, not us. Show no mercy otherwise you won't be given any."

Saline dropped her head.

" You can't find compassion in someone willing to kill you on more than one occasion. Don't be dumb."

Saline knew he was talking to her that time. _'And he's right.'_ She thought. _' I'm not going to chase after someone who obviously has no feelings for me. And I wont degrade myself by letting him fool around with me either.'_

" Is everyone okay?" The quickly opened to reveal the remaining team mates.

" We're fine." Marissa answered Angelica.

" I think you girls should take a few days off." Ryou interjected. " If the aliens are attacking frequently, you'll need your strength."

" Whoa! You guys, I have the coolest idea!" Everyone turned to Erin. " We should have a sleep over at my house!"

" I said rest, not frolic into the wee hours of the night." Ryou glared.

" Well, _too bad, mister grouchy pants." Erin screeched. " I already asked my parents!"_

" _You get signs that a team mate is in trouble, and you ask to have a sleepover?"_

" _Shut up!" Erin hit Crystal in the arm, who immediately hit her back._

" _I don't think Saline would-"_

" _No, that's fine." Saline cut Cassidy off. " I think it'll be fun." _

" _YOSH!" Erin jumped, and quickly rushed out the door. _

" _So we have an unimaginable shift in our leaders powers. . . Solution? Sleep over." Marissa groaned, following the other two out the door. Saline slowly stood, smiled at the two males, and with Cassidy's help walked down to Erin's car._

_XXX_

" _You guys! Isn't this fun?" Erin threw a pillow at Crystals face._

" _Ow!" Crystal exclaimed._

" _Don't get your panties in a twist." The monkey girl stuck her tongue out._

" _Throw another pillow and we'll see who's panties are in a twist. . ." The elder glared._

" _You guys stop. I think the pizza's here." _

" _I'll get it!" Erin shouted, running out of the room._

" _How do you think the pizza guy got here with the road gone?" Marissa wondered._

" _I saw some stuff on the news downstairs. . ." Cassidy yawned. " I didn't pay attention though, it made me nauseous."_

" _I still don't understand what happened." Marissa glanced at Saline. " If you attacked, why didn't everything look destroyed. There was grass everywhere, surely your attack would have scorched the ground as well."_

" _I don't want to think about it." Saline muttered. Erin burst into the room and threw the pizza box on the ground._

" _PIZZA!" She screeched._

" _Erin! The cheese is all over the box now!" Angelica hissed. " Why do you feel the need to throw everything?"_

" _I dunno!" She grinned, ripping out a slice of pizza and shoving into the confines of her mouth._

" _Gross." Marissa frowned, but upon taking a bite found that she couldn't contain her hunger either. _

" _I have an idea." Crystal smiled between a bite. " Let's play truth or dare."_

" _Oh, I wanna go first!" Erin pointed at Cassidy. " I dare you to eat one of my socks."_

" _You're suppose to ask truth or dare." Cassidy's face churned in disgust._

" _Oh, okay. Truth or dare?" Erin laughed. " I DARE YOU TO EAT MY SOCK!"_

_Cassidy's face dropped into her palm. _

" _Why don't you let me start, Erin." Crystal sighed. She turned to Saline, and her lips curled into a smile. " Saline. . .truth or dare?"_

" _. . .truth." Saline's eye brows bunched, as she suddenly felt uneasy. " Okay." Crystals eyes lit up. " How do you feel about Kisshu?"The coiled hair girls face blanched._

" _W-what do you mean?"" How do you feel about him?" Crystal repeated. " You two have kissed more than a few times. But you're enemies. . .tell me, how exactly does that work?"All eyes turned to her. Saline swallowed hard._

" _I don't know. It was all spontaneous." She defended. " And they didn't mean anything."" Then why did you kiss him?"_

_Why? Why? How was she suppose to know. She was so confused._

" _I. . .he tried to kill me." She stated. " I can't help it if he's trying to mess with me."" He asked you to be his."" What better way to get rid of the enemies leader." Now Saline's face hardened. It occurred to her that Crystal never spoke to her like this before, so undermining and full of superiority. She assumed her weakness was affecting her presence on the other girls. " I don't believe in that cutesy ' I'll love you forever, lets run away together' shit. You all know that."" Are you sure about that? I thought you said you liked him?"" And what if I do?" She had to contain herself from screaming. " It doesn't cloud my judgement. What I feel for him personally doesn't matter and you guys shouldn't concern yourselves with it because I've never compromised any of you for what I may feel."_

" _It's okay." Angelica's voice was soft. " I know how you feel. . .I keep thinking of Pai."Crystals smug smile fell. Never had she wanted to strangle Angelica so much in her life._

" _That tart kid is kinda cute too!" Erin nodded zealously. Crystal wanted to bash her head against the wall until she bled. _

" _Yeah, I don't know what it is about Pai." Angelica sighed. " He's so handsome, and always collected, and he seems so intelligent. He scares me, but at the same time I really like guys that are focused."" You couldn't find a focused guy who wasn't trying to kill you?" Cassidy joked._

" _I know. . ." Angelica groaned. " I don't understand that part either; I think girls just like forbidden things. Dangerous guys are so appealing for some reason."_

"_. . .And dangerous." Marissa lamented, always the voice of reason. " Key word, Angelica."" I just think of how things would be if we weren't fighting. . .Maybe if we were friends, they would behave differently."_

" _I think. . ." Saline started. " That they're also fighting for their own people, their friends and family. And as much as we had thought previously, they aren't just attacking us for no good reason. There's more to it."" Ryou says they don't want to compromise though."_

" _Maybe they think they can't." Saline pondered. " But if we can talk to them. . ."" To late now." Crystal snapped. " We almost killed both of them. They're not going trust us again."The others glanced at her, confused at her sudden hostility. She only looked down and grabbed another slice of pizza._

_A/N: It's been a while. I didn't realize I had already written this chapter months ago. . .sorry for my incompetence. Is any one still reading this thing?_


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